Memphis police say a Rosebank Road raid turned up guns, drugs and two suspects they identify as gang members, capping an operation that started with a tip and an auto theft investigation. Officers reported finding two rifles, two handguns, one fitted with a machine-gun conversion device, more than 100 grams of marijuana, and hundreds of grams of promethazine after executing a search warrant at a home on the street.
According to a Memphis Police Department release, investigators with the Multi-Agency Gang Unit learned on June 3 that 19-year-old Jakaylon Johnson was believed to be at a residence in the 700 block of Rosebank Road. Outside, officers spotted a 2024 Nissan Altima that had been involved in a May pursuit with the Auto Theft Task Force and the Tennessee Highway Patrol. Police say they contacted people inside the house, saw firearms and suspected narcotics in plain view, and detained 23-year-old Demarcus Howard, identified as the Altima's driver. After securing a search warrant, officers recovered the guns and drugs, then later located Johnson in the 2700 block of Lola Street and arrested him without incident.
What officers say they seized
As reported by WREG, investigators recovered more than 100 grams of marijuana, 442 grams of promethazine, a digital scale, two rifles, and two handguns, including one equipped with a machine-gun conversion device. Police also say they seized an auto programmer and other items commonly associated with auto theft and illegal gun modification. Authorities noted the case is still an active investigation.
Charges and legal note
Per the Memphis Police Department, Howard, 23, was charged with reckless driving, evading arrest in a motor vehicle, being a convicted felon in possession of a weapon, and a prohibited-weapon offense tied to the alleged conversion device. Johnson, 19, was charged with theft of property valued between $10,000 to $60,000 and vandalism between $1,000 to $2,500. Federal prosecutors have made machine-gun conversion devices a priority target, with officials noting that so-called "switches" can carry steep prison terms. The U.S. Attorney's Office, Western District of Tennessee, has said in recent cases that simply possessing a conversion device can result in federal prison time, underscoring the legal risk.
Where this fits
Police say the operation brought together MPD's Multi-Agency Gang Unit, the Violent Crime Unit, and the Auto Theft Task Force, working alongside local and federal partners as part of a broader push to disrupt auto theft, gang activity, and the flow of illegal firearms. Those multi-agency sweeps, including efforts by the Memphis Safe Task Force, have led to thousands of arrests and the seizure of hundreds of firearms in recent months, according to the U.S. Marshals Service. Police added that anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers.
