A federal jury in Memphis has found Mervin Anderson, 40, guilty of possessing contraband while incarcerated at a federal detention center. Anderson was convicted on one count after being found with two homemade knives, known as shanks.
Court documents and evidence presented during the trial indicated that video surveillance captured Anderson inside the detention facility holding two sharpened metal knives. He was seen confronting another inmate and swinging the weapons at him. A corrections officer responded quickly to the incident and discovered Anderson still holding the shanks. Upon confiscation of the weapons, Anderson stated, “God is on my side, I was about to kill that boy.”
Anderson could face up to five years in prison for this conviction. Sentencing will be scheduled at a later date.
In addition to this case, Anderson is awaiting trial on charges of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl. That trial is set for November 3, 2025.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Joseph C. Murphy for the Western District of Tennessee announced the conviction.
The investigation is being conducted by the U.S. Marshals Service and Shelby County Division of Corrections.
Trial Attorneys Amanda J. Kotula and Cesar Rivera-Giraud from the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section are prosecuting the case.
This prosecution is part of a broader Violent Crime Initiative led by the Criminal Division in partnership with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies in Memphis. The initiative focuses on using federal laws where appropriate to prosecute gang members and associates involved in violent crime within Memphis.
