U.S. District Judge Sentences Three Men from Central Arkansas to Federal Prison on Firearms Charges

      LITTLE ROCK— Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, announced the sentencing of Terry Lydell Cook, Derrick Owens, and Howard Jerome Jenkins, to be incarcerated in federal prison on firearm related charges. All three defendants illegally possessed firearms after being convicted of numerous violent offenses and drug offenses, including domestic batteries, attempted rape, and robbery. The sentences for Cook, Owens, and Jenkins of 120 months, 102 months, and 96 months, respectively, were handed down on Wednesday by United States District Judge Brian S. Miller.

      Terry Lydell Cook, 33, Little Rock, Arkansas

      Cook, a previously convicted felon, was indicted on March 2, 2022, in a one-count indictment for possession of a firearm by a felon. On June 2, 2023, Cook pled guilty to the charge in the indictment.

      On March 27, 2021, the Little Rock Police Department was dispatched to a residence after reports of a shooting. When police arrived, witnesses stated that Cook was involved in physical altercation with a female, causing visible injury, and fired multiple shots in the air from a handgun. A witness stated Cook had a handgun and was threatening to shoot whoever drove up to the house. Cook was gone when police arrived.

      After investigation, the Little Rock Police Department obtained an arrest warrant for Cook. On April 2, 2021, officers with Arkansas Community Correction located Cook at a residence and during a subsequent search, officers located a firearm.

      An investigation revealed that Cook had numerous prior convictions for residential burglary, as well as convictions for simultaneous possession of drugs and firearms. Cook also has convictions for terroristic threatening, possession of a firearm by certain persons, and domestic battery, as well as more than a dozen incidents alleging domestic violence.

      Judge Miller sentenced Cook to serve 10 years in federal prison, the maximum permitted under the law, and also sentenced Cook to three years’ supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

      The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with the assistance of the Little Rock Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Chris Givens prosecuted the case.

      Derrick Owens, 44, Little Rock, Arkansas

      Owens, a previously convicted felon, was indicted on August 8, 2019, on one count for possession of a firearm by a felon. On July 27, 2020, Owens pled guilty to the superseding indictment.

      On April 25, 2017, Little Rock Police Department officers responded to an area on Colonel Glenn Road for a disturbance where shots were fired. Officers made contact with a witness who stated a black male, later identified as Owens, assaulted a female at the apartment complex. The witness stated she yelled for Owens to stop and as the female victim ran towards the witness’ vehicle, Owens followed behind the victim and pulled out a firearm, pointing it at both the witness and the victim. During the assault on the victim, Owens threatened to shoot her before she was able to flee the area.

      Officers saw Owens in the parking lot of the complex in a vehicle being driven by a family member and initiated a traffic stop. Owens was aware he had an active warrant for failure to register as a sex offender and during questioning, he gave officers his brother’s name. Owens did provide officers consent to search the vehicle where a firearm was located in a bag in the floorboard on the passenger’s side where Owens had been sitting.

      The investigation revealed that prior to this offense, Owens had previously been convicted of robbery, possession with intent to distribute cocaine, possession of PCP, possession of drug paraphernalia, and criminal attempt to commit rape. He also has convictions for escape, failure to register as a sex offender, possession of firearms by certain persons, and possession of prohibited articles.

      Judge Miller sentenced Owens to serve 102 months in federal prison and also sentenced Owens to three years’ supervised release.

      The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with the assistance of the Little Rock Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Edward Walker prosecuted the case.

      Howard Jerome Jenkins, 33, North Little Rock, Arkansas

      Jenkins, a previously convicted felon, was indicted on October 26, 2021, for illegally possessing a firearm, and pled guilty to the charge on September 16, 2022.

      On April 22, 2021, a North Little Rock Police Department officer responded to a one-vehicle accident at the intersection of Donovan Briley and Military Road. An investigation revealed that Jenkins was the driver and determined to be impaired at which time he was arrested. At the time of his arrest, Jenkins was in possession of a firearm.

      Jenkins had previously been convicted of delivery of cocaine, first-degree battery, terroristic threatening, possession of methamphetamine, and domestic battery.

      Judge Miller sentenced Jenkins to 96 months in federal prison and also sentenced Jenkins to three years’ supervised release.

      The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with the assistance of the North Little Rock Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Jana Harris prosecuted the case.

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This news release, as well as additional information about the office of the

United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at

https://www.justice.gov/edar

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