A Port Arthur man has been sentenced to over eight years in federal prison for firearms violations, according to an announcement from Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs of the Eastern District of Texas.
Rickey Shawn Thomas, 45, pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and received a sentence of 100 months from U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on September 22, 2025.
Court records show that four handguns were found during a search warrant executed as part of a drug trafficking investigation involving Thomas. Two of the guns had been reported stolen. Authorities also discovered more than five pounds of synthetic marijuana and over $40,000 in cash at the scene. Investigators determined that Thomas had seven prior felony convictions, making it illegal under federal law for him to possess firearms.
The case is part of Operation Take Back America, described as "a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime." The operation coordinates efforts from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Port Arthur Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matt Quinn and Chris Jackson prosecuted the case.
