A Memphis man has been sentenced to more than a decade behind bars after being found guilty of gun and drug-related offenses. Quantrese Brazzell, 48, received a 150-month prison term following his latest run-in with the law, which involved fentanyl possession with the intent to distribute and firearms charges. The sentencing, handed down by U.S. District Court Judge Samuel H. Mays yesterday, caps a string of federal convictions for Brazzell, now tallying four to his name.
According to court documents, the case against Brazzell started to build on the final day of 2022 when Memphis Police Department officers responded to a suspicious vehicle report. Found at the wheel on East Georgia Avenue and Walnut Street, Brazzell was alone in his vehicle that, upon search, yielded about 500 pressed pills later confirmed as fentanyl, and a Springfield Arms Saint 5.56 caliber rifle, loaded, with approximately 31 live rounds. The information from the court, provided to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Tennessee, indicates this was not an isolated incident: Brazzell was on federal supervised release for a prior drug distribution conspiracy when apprehended.
It took a four-day trial to determine Brazzell's guilt on both counts, following a two-count indictment by a federal grand jury for the Western District of Tennessee on December 12, 2023, which cited violations encompassing unlawful possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute and being a felon in possession of a firearm. The trial's conclusion resulted in a conviction, which led to the recent sentencing that also includes three years supervised release, to be served after his time in prison, according to the same press release.
This case falls under the remit of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a nationwide initiative aimed at reducing violent crime and improving safety in communities. PSN has, since its reinforcement on May 26, 2021, emphasized the importance of fostering trust within communities, backing violence-prevention organizations, focusing strategically on enforcement priorities, and assessing the impact of these efforts. According to statements, the case was a collaborative investigation between the Memphis Police Department, Shelby County Sheriff’s office, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michelle Kimbril-Parks and Greg Allen.
