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BEAUMONT, Texas – A Port Arthur man has been sentenced to federal prison for firearms violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei today.

 Demarcus Dewayne Elam, 23, pleaded guilty on March 2, 2021, to receipt of a firearm while under indictment and was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison today by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone.

“Those under a felony drug indictment have no business possessing a firearm, particularly a stolen one,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. “Thanks to the great work of ATF and the Port Arthur Police Department, Jefferson County is a little bit safer.”

According to information presented in court, on May 3, 2020, Elam was pulled over in Port Arthur for a traffic violation.  During the traffic stop, the law enforcement officer conducting the stop learned that Elam was wanted on outstanding warrants.  Elam was arrested on those outstanding warrants and the officer began to search Elam incident to arrest.  Elam informed the officer he had a firearm in his pocket.  The officer retrieved the firearm and learned from dispatch the firearm had been reported stolen in Beaumont.  Further investigation revealed that on Sep. 24, 2018, Elam had been placed on four years of deferred probation for a felony drug charge.  Based on the deferred adjudication, Elam is considered to be under indictment and prohibited from owning or possessing firearms or ammunition.

This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime.  Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them.  As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

This case was investigated by the Port Arthur Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Quinn.