United States Attorney Ritz Announces Ten Federal Indictments for Firearm and Violent Crimes

Press Release

Four Defendants are Charged with Possessing "Switches"

Memphis, TN - United States Attorney Kevin G. Ritz announced today the indictments of ten individuals who were charged with federal gun and violent crime offenses in West Tennessee. United States Attorney Ritz also reinforced his office's commitment to federal prosecution of individuals who commit violent crimes, illegally possess machine-gun conversion devices (also known as "switches"), or commit other federal firearm offenses.

"As alleged, these individuals have committed serious federal crimes involving firearms or violent activity," said United States Attorney Ritz. "Our office will continue to work with the Project Safe Neighborhoods Task Force and other law enforcement partners to reduce violent crime in our community. The citizens of Memphis and Shelby County deserve to feel safe."

The following defendants were charged with federal crimes involving switches:

• Wayne Sanders, 31. Sanders was charged in June 2024 with being a felon in possession of firearms and possessing a machine gun on February 24, 2024. A superseding indictment returned on August 29, 2024, charged Sanders with four additional counts related to his arrest by officers in April 2024:
  • Possession of a machine gun;
  • Being a felon in possession of a firearm;
  • Assault of a Task Force Officer with the U.S. Marshals Service; and
  • Brandishing a firearm during and in relation to the assault on a federal officer.

• Myles Bowens, 22. Bowens was indicted on August 29, 2024, for being a felon in possession of a firearm and possessing a gun with an attached machine-gun conversion device.

• Taveon Earnest, 20. Earnest was indicted on August 29, 2024, for possessing a gun with an attached machine-gun conversion device.

• Actavious Ellis, 30. Ellis was indicted on August 29, 2024, for possessing a gun with an attached machine-gun conversion device.

The following defendants were charged with other firearm or violent crime offenses:

• Nathenael Tekle, 23. Tekle was indicted on August 29, 2024, for four separate armed business robberies in Memphis, committed over a 10-day span in October and November 2023. He is charged with four counts of robbery of a business affecting interstate commerce and four counts of brandishing a firearm during and in relation to the robberies.

• Caran Stokes, 26. Stokes was indicted on August 29, 2024, on one count of carjacking and one count of brandishing a firearm during and in relation to the carjacking.

• Tony Thomas, 27. Thomas was indicted on August 29, 2024, on one count of carjacking and one count of brandishing a firearm during and in relation to the carjacking.

• Pierre Jones, 34. Jones was indicted on August 29, 2024, for possession of a firearm after having at least three prior convictions for serious drug offenses or violent felonies.

• Marcus Oher, 26. Oher was indicted on August 29, 2024, for being a felon in possession of a firearm on two different occasions.

• Jermaine Cooper, 35. Cooper was indicted on August 29, 2024, for being a felon in possession of a firearm.

These cases are being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Safe Streets Task Force; the Project Safe Neighborhoods Gun Task Force; the Memphis Police Department; and the Shelby County Sheriff's Office. Anyone with information about switches or other federal gun crimes can call 1-800-ATF-GUNS (1-800-283-4867).

The charges and allegations contained in the indictments are merely accusations of criminal conduct, not evidence. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt and convicted through due process of law. If convicted, each defendant's sentence will be determined by the Court after review of the factors unique to the case, including the defendant's prior criminal records (if any), the defendant's role in the offense, and the characteristics of the violation.

These indictments are 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, using data-driven methods to set focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

United States Attorney Kevin Ritz thanked the Assistant United States Attorneys prosecuting these cases, as well as the law enforcement partners who investigated the cases.

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For more information, please contact the Media Relations Team at [email protected]. Follow the U.S. Attorney's Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.

Updated September 3, 2024