Convicted Felon Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possession of a Firearm During Domestic Violence Incident

MEMPHIS, TN – Jeremy Nicks, 35, has been sentenced to 46 months in federal prison for being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm. D. Michael Dunavant, U.S. Attorney announced the sentence today.

According to the information presented in court, on April 26, 2018, Jeremy Nicks picked up his girlfriend from work. As she got into the car, Nicks pointed a gun at the victim and threatened to kill her while driving throughout various locations in Memphis. The victim reported the incident to the Memphis Police Department the next day.

On April 27, 2018, the victim notified law enforcement that Nicks was at her residence. When law enforcement responded to the domestic disturbance call, the victim informed officers that the defendant kept the gun under the hood of the Ford Escape. Nicks was immediately placed under arrest. The victim gave a signed statement, and the police obtained a search warrant for Nicks's vehicle. A Harrington and Richardson .32 caliber revolver, loaded with four live rounds, was recovered under the hood of the car.

Nicks has one prior 2007 federal felony robbery conviction and three prior domestic violence misdemeanor convictions. As a result of his prior felony conviction history, Nicks is prohibited by federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition.

On December 18, 2019, Nicks pled guilty to one count of being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm. On July 10, 2020, U.S. District Court Judge Thomas L. Parker sentenced Nicks to 46 months imprisonment followed by 3 years supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said: "Reducing violent crimes committed with firearms is the top priority of this office and the Department of Justice. Prohibited persons in possession of firearms, such as convicted felons and persons with histories of domestic violence present a known and immediate risk of violence to their families and the community at large. This is exactly the type of dangerous offender that the PSN Task Force is designed to target, and I commend their work in holding Nicks responsible and removing him from our streets."

This case was investigated by the Memphis Police Department and the Project Safe Neighborhoods Task Force. This case is part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) initiative, 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. In 2017, PSN was reinvigorated 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.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Wendy K. Cornejo prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.