LITTLE ROCK-J. Frederick Braswell, III, who had been convicted in February 2024, for being a felon in possession of a firearm, will spend the next 120 months in federal prison after again being convicted for illegally possessing a gun. Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, announced the sentence, which was handed down today by United States District Judge Lee P. Rudofsky. Today's federal sentence marks the third time Braswell has been convicted for possessing a gun after becoming a felon.

On December 3, 2024, Braswell, 26, of North Little Rock, was indicted by a federal grand jury in a three-count Indictment for being a felon in possession of a firearm, possession with intent to distribute marijuana, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. On August 15, 2025, Braswell pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm. Judge Rudofsky also sentenced Braswell to three years' supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

An investigation revealed that on August 25, 2024, law enforcement officers conducted a traffic stop of Braswell for speeding. Braswell attempted to flee from officers, reaching speeds of 100 miles per hour. After a tactical vehicle intervention disabled his car, Braswell then fled on foot, jumping a privacy fence and entering someone's residence. Officers followed Braswell, locating him inside the residence and in possession of a backpack containing multiple bags of marijuana, Xanax, a scale, money, and a Glock 29, 10mm firearm with an extended magazine. For his previous conviction in February 2024 for possession of a firearm by a felon, Braswell received a 60-month suspended imposition of sentence, despite it being his second such conviction at the time.

Braswell's criminal history includes felony drug convictions for possession of oxycodone and possession of marijuana with purpose to deliver, as well as two convictions for possession of firearms by certain person, theft by receiving, and fleeing.

The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with assistance from the Arkansas State Police. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stacy Williams.

# # #

Additional information about the office of the

United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at

https://www.justice.gov/edar

X (formerly known as Twitter):

@USAO_EDAR Links to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the "external link" icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link.