In a significant crackdown under Operation Take Back America, Memphis resident Mario Delaine, 39, has been sentenced to more than 15 years in federal prison for firearms offenses. The sentencing occurred yesterday, overseen by the Honorable Charles E. Atchley, Jr., United States District Judge, in the Eastern District of Tennessee at Chattanooga, as reported by the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Delaine, already having several violent felony convictions to his name, had agreed to plead guilty to possession of a firearm by a felon, a violation of Title 18 United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1). His past felonies, distinct from one another, heightened his penalties under the Armed Career Criminal Act, relegating Delaine to a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years. According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, the arrest occurred after Chattanooga Police Officers were called to a Motel 6 in November 2022, upon reports of gunfire from a third-floor room.
Upon their arrival, the officers heard and observed shots being fired from within the motel. The situation escalated, leading to gunfire through the motel door even as officers established a perimeter. Eventually, Delaine surrendered, after which the authorities retrieved a Glock 9-millimeter pistol, several spent cartridges, and identified bullet holes in the door and exterior window of the room.
The case against Delaine stemmed from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Chattanooga Field Office and the Chattanooga Police Department, the U.S. Attorney's Office confirmed. Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin T. Brown and Luke McLaurin took the lead in representing the United States in this matter. Additionally, Delaine's sentencing is part of the broader initiative, Operation Take Back America, which aims to consolidate efforts towards curbing illegal immigration, dismantling cartels, and protecting communities from violent crime.
Following his 188-month incarceration, Mario Delaine will be on supervised release for five years. U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III, from the Eastern District of Tennessee, was the one to announce the sentencing.
