Convicted Felon on Federal Supervised Release Sentenced to Prison for Illegal Gun Possession (DOJ)

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson announced that a convicted felon on supervised release was sentenced to prison yesterday for illegal gun possession.

Dequan Keontez Chambers, 32, was sentenced to a total of 47 months in prison - 35 months for the firearm offense and a consecutive 12 months for violating his supervised release. He was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release following his prison term.

On August 28, 2025, Chambers pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a felon.

"This was Chambers' third criminal conviction involving firearms - and he committed this one while still on supervised release for the last one," said U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson. "Everyone deserves a second chance, but not a third - we will seek lengthy prison sentences for repeat offenders like Chambers."

According to court documents, on July 4, 2026, at approximately 12:50 a.m., law enforcement conducted a traffic stop of Chambers' vehicle. During the traffic stop, the officers determined that Chambers was on federal supervised release for a prior conviction and had multiple outstanding state and federal arrest warrants. The officers ordered Chambers to exit the vehicle, but Chambers refused to comply. One of the officers observed that Chambers was armed. While one officer was holding onto Chambers' arm, another officer removed a loaded .40 caliber pistol from the defendant's waistband. The firearm was loaded with nine rounds of ammunition with one live round in the chamber. Chambers also had eight rounds of ammunition in his front pocket.

After a tussle with one of the officers, Chambers was placed under arrest. While Chambers was in custody he slipped his handcuffs to the front twice, before shattering the window of the police vehicle transporting him to jail.

Chambers is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition. In 2016, Chambers was convicted of possession of a firearm by a felon, possession of a stolen firearm, and theft of a firearm. Chambers also has a 2013 state conviction for possession of a firearm by a felon, among several other state convictions.

In making today's announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson thanked the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office, and the Biscoe Police Department for their investigation of the case, and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of North Carolina for their invaluable assistance.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Caryn Finley of the U.S. Attorney's Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.