Port Arthur man sentenced for firearms violations

BEAUMONT, Texas – A Port Arthur man has been sentenced to federal prison for firearms violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs.

Christopher Bryan Jones, 44, pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and was sentenced to 78 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia Crone on May 24, 2024. Bernard Colbert, 40, of Baldwin, Louisiana, pleaded guilty to the same offense and was sentenced earlier this year to 40 months in federal prison by Judge Crone. 

According to information presented in court, on May 8, 2022, Port Arthur police encountered Jones and Colbert in a vehicle parked at a convenience store on Gulfway Drive. The officers were investigating a shooting and questioned Jones and Colbert. During the questioning, the officers observed a pistol-grip shotgun on the back seat behind the men.  Further investigation revealed Jones had prior felony convictions from Jefferson County including robbery and burglary of a habitation, and Colbert had felony convictions from Louisiana, including possession of a controlled substance and unlawful use of a motor vehicle.  A federal grand jury indicted the men together on Nov. 2, 2022. Under federal law, felons are prohibited from owning or possessing firearms or ammunition. 

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

This case was investigated by the Port Arthur Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John B. Ross.

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