A Memphis man was convicted by a federal jury for methamphetamine possession with intent to distribute and several firearms offenses. Reagan Fondren, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the judgement. According to a press release, the court received evidence that on July 13, 2022, detectives found a stash of drugs and multiple guns in Andre Blue's apartment during a search authorized by the Multi-Agency Gang Unit.
Detectives discovered a loaded .45 caliber Glock, a 9mm Sig Sauer, and another .45 caliber Smith and Wesson pistol in Blue's bedroom. Additionally, officers retrieved 15 grams of pure methamphetamine from a toilet in the same residence. A particularly disturbing find was an American Tactical Imports multi-caliber pistol, placed alongside a magazine with no fewer than 50 rounds, stowed away in the closet of a child’s bedroom. A subsequent search on another property tied to Blue, executed by the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office on February 23, 2023, turned up a Sig Sauer pistol and paraphernalia commonly associated with the sale of narcotics.
As per federal law, Blue, who has prior felony convictions, is prohibited from owning firearms and ammunition. After a three-day trial, the jury found him guilty on November 20, on all counts, including firearm possession as a convicted felon and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. The verdict means Blue is now facing at least a mandatory minimum of five years in prison for the drug charge, with an additional and consecutive five year minimum for the firearms charge connected to drug trafficking. Sentencing is scheduled for February 26, 2025, with U.S. District Judge Jon P. McCalla presiding.
This case is a part of the larger Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative, aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence, to quickly make neighborhoods safer. "On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results," said the Department of Justice. The PSN Gun Task Force, the Multi-Agency Gang Unit, and the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office carried out the investigation that led to Blue's conviction.
In a statement expressed gratitude, Acting U.S. Attorney Fondren thanked the Assistant U.S. Attorneys Eileen Kuo and Regina Brittenum, who prosecuted the case, and acknowledged the collaborative efforts of the law enforcement partners involved in the investigation.
