The Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals recently upheld a 108-month sentence for Jaquan Bridges, a Memphis man convicted of machinegun possession. The announcement comes following a series of dramatic events beginning with Bridges firing on a Shelby County Sheriff’s Deputy in February 2022. This appeal and its subsequent affirmation spotlight the ongoing debate over gun control and Second Amendment rights post-Bruen.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Bridges' run-in with the law started when he was caught using his cell phone while driving. A deputy attempted to get him to stop, only to be met with gunfire from Bridges' vehicle. A high-speed chase ensued, ending with Bridges crashing into a concrete barrier. A Glock .40 caliber pistol equipped with a machinegun conversion device, a so-called "switch," was recovered upon his arrest.
On February 6, 2024, Bridges entered a guilty plea for machinegun possession. Several months later, he received a 108-month federal prison term, to be followed by three years of supervised release, as handed down by Senior United States District Judge John T. Fowlkes. "There is no parole in the federal system," the official report from the U.S. Attorney’s Office reminds us.
Bridges argued in his appeal that his prosecution for machinegun possession violated his right to bear arms as guaranteed by the Second Amendment. However, the Sixth Circuit's opinion, filed on August 7, 2025, upheld both Bridges' sentence and the statute's constitutionality. This judgment is significant, marking the first time the Sixth Circuit has addressed the issue in the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision in New York State Rifle & Pistol Association, Inc. v. Bruen.
This case forms part of the broader initiative known as Project Safe Neighborhoods, aimed to reduce violent crime and gun violence through collaboration between law enforcement agencies and communities. Assistant United States Attorney Eileen Kuo was responsible for prosecuting the case and managing the appeal on behalf of the government, the U.S. Attorney’s Office reports. The underlying investigation was conducted by the Shelby County Sheriff’s Department.
