CONVICTED FELON SENTENCED TO OVER 9 YEARS IN FEDERAL PRISON FOR FIREARMS POSSESSION

FAYETTEVILLE – A Fayetteville man was sentenced today to 110 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release on one count of being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm. The Honorable Timothy L. Brooks presided over the sentencing hearing in the United States District Court in Fayetteville.

According to court documents, on February 7, 2021, the 4^th Judicial District Drug Task Force obtained a search warrant for the residence of Marcellius Ricardio Phillips, 38, for drug trafficking offenses in the Western District of Arkansas. Prior to executing the search warrant, Detectives made contact with Phillips outside his residence. After Phillips was placed under arrest for an outstanding warrant, Detectives searched his pants pocket and located a loaded handgun. Phillips is a convicted felon and is prohibited from possessing any firearms.  

Acting U.S. Attorney David Clay Fowlkes of the Western District of Arkansas made the announcement.

The 4^th Judicial District Drug Task Force investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney David Harris prosecuted the case.

This case was prosecuted as 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 make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.