Federal Jury Finds Armed Career Criminal Guilty of Firearm Possession

Memphis, TN – After a two-day federal trial, a jury found Rodriquez Henley, 33 , of Memphis, guilty of possession of a firearm as a convicted felon and made a special finding that Henley’s extensive criminal history qualified him for enhanced punishment as an Armed Career Criminal (ACC). United States Attorney D. Michael Dunavant, of the Western District of Tennessee, announced the verdict today. According to information presented in court, on May 19, 2025, officers with the Memphis Police Department located Henley at the Know-It-All Market on Park Avenue while responding to a disturbance call. Upon detaining Henley based on an outstanding warrant, officers recovered a black Ruger .380 caliber handgun from his front waistband. During the trial, the jury heard evidence of Henley’s criminal history, which includes two separate convictions for Aggravated Robbery as well as a conviction for Aggravated Burglary. The jury found Henley guilty of being a felon in possession of a firearm and made a finding that he had committed at least three violent felonies on different occasions, triggering the enhanced sentencing penalties under the Armed Career Criminal Act (ACCA). A sentencing hearing is scheduled to be held on November 10, 2026 before Chief U.S. District Court Judge Sheryl H. Lipman. As a result of the verdict and ACC designation, Henley faces a mandatory minimum sentence of at least 15 years in federal prison. U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, “Henley’s lifestyle of lawlessness has finally caught up with him. He has devoted most of his life to repeated violent crimes, and now the federal system will do what should have been done a long time ago – impose a real consequence that will prevent him from victimizing anyone else for years to come.” The case was investigated by the Memphis Police Department (MPD) as part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) initiative. Special Assistant United States Attorneys Yosef Hochheiser and Kesha Zaffino, both of the United States Air Force Judge Advocate General’s (JAG) Corps, prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities . ### For more information, please contact the media relations team at USATNW.Media@usdoj.gov . Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.