A Memphis man, Percy Jackson, 40, has been convicted for a second time in federal court for being a felon in possession of a firearm. The announcement was made by Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas. The verdict came after a three-day trial before Chief United States District Judge Kristine G. Baker.
Jackson was indicted on June 6, 2024, on three counts: being a felon in possession of a firearm, possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime. After about three hours of deliberation, the jury found Jackson guilty only on the first count—felon in possession of a firearm—and not guilty on the other two charges.
According to evidence presented at trial, Jackson had been released from federal prison on September 28, 2022, after serving 15 years for his first federal gun conviction. On October 10, 2023, officers from the West Memphis Police Department stopped Jackson’s vehicle due to a defective brake light and expired tags. Officers noted that Jackson appeared nervous and was sweating during questioning. He was removed from the car and police searched the vehicle.
During the search, officers found a loaded Ruger 9mm handgun under the driver’s seat that had previously been reported stolen. They also discovered pills containing fentanyl in the glove compartment.
At the time of this incident, Jackson was still under supervised release with the Western District of Tennessee for his prior conviction as a felon in possession of a firearm.
Due to his previous convictions and violent criminal history—including four aggravated robbery convictions and one for facilitation of especially aggravated robbery—Jackson will be sentenced under the Armed Career Criminal Act at a later date by Judge Baker. This sentencing law mandates that he faces at least 15 years in federal prison without parole.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives led the investigation with support from both the West Memphis Police Department and Second Judicial Drug Task Force. Assistant United States Attorney Lauren Eldridge prosecuted the case.
