Decatur County Man Sentenced to 8 Years in Federal Prison for Drug and Gun Offenses

Jackson, TN – Joshua Emile Malone, 28, of Parsons, TN., has been sentenced to 97 months in federal prison for possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant announced the sentence today.

According to information presented in court, on April 12, 2018, during the execution of felony arrest warrants at a residence in Parsons, Tennessee, Malone was found at home with a loaded .22 caliber revolver and a loaded .45 caliber semi-automatic pistol. After law enforcement secured the house, they executed a search warrant and recovered the following items in Malone’s bedroom:

9.2 g marijuana

3.2 grams methamphetamine

Remington Model 770

Stevens Savage model 77C18I sawed off pump shotgun (15 in barrel)

2 digital scales

Glass pipe

(31) 12 gauge shotgun shells

(5) 20 gauge shotgun slugs

(26) .25 caliber pistol rounds

(11) .38 caliber pistol rounds

(50) .380 caliber pistol rounds

(2) .45 long Colt pistol rounds

(1) 30-30 rifle round

(1) 25-06 rifle round

(2) 300 win mag rifle rounds

(4) 10 gauge shotgun shells

(9) 16 gauge shotgun shells

U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, "The U.S. Attorney’s Office is a full-service federal prosecution office, and we have the ability and intention to charge any violations of federal law, no matter where they occur in the Western District of Tennessee. This case demonstrates our focus on the priority areas of firearms and narcotics cases that impact public safety in our rural communities, and we appreciate the partnerships with our local law enforcement agencies in Decatur County."

On September 12, 2019, U.S. Chief District Court Judge S. Thomas Anderson sentenced Malone to 97 months imprisonment followed by 3 years supervised release.

"I'd like to thank the DOJ and the FBI for their assistance in the prosecution of this violent offender. My investigators are working extremely hard on removing these types of offenders from our county. Having a good working relationship with these federal agencies insures stiffer sentences for these offenders. It also sends a message to other offenders in our county that this department is serious about providing a safe environment for our children," said Decatur County Sheriff, Keith Byrd.

This case was investigated by the Decatur County Sheriff's Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Hillary Parham prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.