MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A Memphis man has been sentenced to more than nine years in federal prison for possession of more than 200 grams of fentanyl and numerous firearms discovered during a search of his residence following an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Memphis.
Myshun Jefferson, 21, was sentenced to a total of 117 months of incarceration with a three-year period of supervised release at the competition of his sentence. Jefferson was indicted in September 2023 for possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking activity. On Sept. 4, 2024, Jefferson entered a guilty plea on the two-count indictment.
“HSI, alongside our law enforcement partners across Tennessee, will continue to pursue those who pose a significant threat to public safety through the illegal possession of firearms and contribute to the opioid crisis,” said HSI Deputy Special Agent in Charge Colin Jackson. “Today’s sentence reflects the serious nature and consequences of engaging in the illegal possession and distribution of fentanyl, a drug that continues to claim lives and devastate communities.”
According to information presented in court, in May 2023, agents with HSI Memphis and detectives with the Bartlett Police Department began investigating the distribution of large amounts of fentanyl in the Memphis area. During the investigation, law enforcement identified Jefferson as a fentanyl distributor and learned that he was distributing narcotics from two Memphis locations. The agents and detectives arranged for at least one controlled purchase at each property.
Based on information obtained from the controlled purchases, search warrants were executed on the two properties. Agents and detectives discovered Jefferson at the residence on Baywood Avenue, along with more than 200 grams of a mixture and substance containing fentanyl and four firearms.
One of those four firearms was a Glock pistol discovered in a sofa near Jefferson when law enforcement officers entered the home. This pistol had an unregistered aftermarket device allowing the firearm to act as a machine gun, also known as a “switch,” installed. Two of the other firearms discovered during the search of the residence were also unlawfully altered: a second Glock pistol, also fitted with an automatic “switch” device, and a JTS 12-gauge illegal short-barrel shotgun.
This case was investigated by HSI Memphis and the Bartlett Police Department. The U.S. Customs and Border Patrol Laboratories in Savannah, Georgia, assisted in this investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Bryce H. Phillips prosecuted this case.