By Brian Lazenby
Staff Writer
A suspected gang member pleaded not guilty in federal court today to a firearms violation.
Michael Lebron Branham, 19, is charged with being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court records, Mr. Branham admitted to having a gun while investigators were questioning him in September about a shooting that wounded Jamal Townsend.
Mr. Branham was convicted of aggravated assault in the shooting and given a three-year suspended sentence, but he was not charged with the firearms violation until his name surfaced during the investigation of several recent gang-related shootings that resulted in two deaths.
Authorities said Mr. Branham could face up to 10 years in prison for the firearms violation unless he is deemed an armed career criminal, which could garner him a minimum of 15 years in prison to life.
E-mail Brian Lazenby at blazenby@timesfreepress.com
See tomorrow’s Chattanooga Times Free Press for full coverage.
Staff Writer
A suspected gang member pleaded not guilty in federal court today to a firearms violation.
Michael Lebron Branham, 19, is charged with being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court records, Mr. Branham admitted to having a gun while investigators were questioning him in September about a shooting that wounded Jamal Townsend.
Mr. Branham was convicted of aggravated assault in the shooting and given a three-year suspended sentence, but he was not charged with the firearms violation until his name surfaced during the investigation of several recent gang-related shootings that resulted in two deaths.
Authorities said Mr. Branham could face up to 10 years in prison for the firearms violation unless he is deemed an armed career criminal, which could garner him a minimum of 15 years in prison to life.
E-mail Brian Lazenby at blazenby@timesfreepress.com
See tomorrow’s Chattanooga Times Free Press for full coverage.
