In a firm stride against gun violence, U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber handed down a five-year federal prison sentence to Roger William Clayton, a 41-year-old Arcadia man with a substantial criminal record. The sentence, announced today, is set to run consecutively to Clayton's current nine-year state imprisonment for a separate offense involving methamphetamine trafficking. The decision comes following Clayton's guilty plea this past January for illegal firearms possession and distribution.
Clayton’s downfall was the result of a sting operation that took place on July 28, 2022, involving an undercover agent from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). According to a report from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the convicted felon met with the agent near Southwest Lettuce Lake Avenue and County Road 761 in Arcadia, showcasing a collection of firearms available for purchase. The arsenal included several rifles and pistols, of varying calibers, with Clayton also offering to facilitate the sale of suppressors and untraceable "ghost guns." Federal law forbids felons like Clayton, who has a history that includes grand theft and robbery, from owning or dealing in firearms or ammunition.
This case was a collaborative effort between the ATF and the DeSoto County Sheriff's Office, culminating in a prosecution led by Assistant United States Attorneys David W.A. Chee and Michael J. Buchanan. The crackdown on Clayton aligns with the principles of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a keystone initiative that has federal law enforcement partnering with local communities to aggressively target and deter violent crime and illegal gun trafficking.
PSN's approach, strengthened since May 2021 in a bid to curb violence, emphasizes building trust within communities, backing organizations working in violence prevention, setting sharp enforcement priorities, and consistently assessing the impact of these efforts. Clayton's case embeds within that broader strategy, sending a clear message about the consequences of firearms offenses. The five-year sentence tacked onto Clayton's existing term reinforces the commitment to making neighborhoods safer, reflecting the current administration's persistent focus on reducing gun violence across the United States.
