Chattanooga Man Sentenced To 10 Years For Possessing Machinegun Used In Shooting

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. - On March 6, 2026, Jaquan Andre Smith, also known as "Lil Quanie," 21 of Chattanooga, was sentenced to 120 months in prison by Chief Judge Travis R. McDonough in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Chattanooga. Following imprisonment, Smith will be on supervised release for three years.

Smith earlier pled guilty to possessing a machinegun, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(o). According to filed court documents and proof presented at the sentencing hearing, on Saturday, April 29, 2023, at approximately 5:11 p.m., Chattanooga Police Department ("CPD") Officers responded to reports of multiple shots fired in the parking lot of Hamilton Place Mall. Officers observed several vehicles that had sustained damage from gunfire, and they recovered 26 spent 9-millimter cartridge cases in the parking lot. Investigators reviewed video footage, interviewed witnesses, and collected physical evidence, leading to the identification of Smith as the shooter. The investigation revealed the victims were specifically targeted due to an ongoing gang feud.

On May 9, 2023, with assistance from the United States Marshal Service Smoky Mountains Fugitive Task Force, investigators located and arrested Smith. Smith was in possession of a Glock, Model 17, 9-millimter pistol with an extended magazine and an installed and functioning machinegun conversion device ("MCD"), colloquially known as a "switch." The MCD enabled the pistol to fire fully automatic, that is, fire multiple rounds by single pull of the trigger. Possession of a MCD is illegal under Federal law, as the National Firearms Act classifies the MCD itself as a machinegun.

An investigator test fired the machinegun. The spent cartridge cases, along with cartridge cases collected from Hamilton Place Mall parking lot, were submitted to the National Integrated Ballistic Intelligence Network ("NIBIN"). The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives ("ATF") runs the NIBIN Program, which is an automated ballistic evaluation process. ATF's NIBIN analysis resulted in ballistic evidence that the spent 9-millimter cartridge cases recovered from the Hamilton Place Mall parking lot were fired from the machinegun found in Smith's possession.

"Gang violence is a scourge on our communities, and the United States Attorney's Office will prosecute those who perpetuate violence, illegally possess firearms, or endanger the citizens of Chattanooga," said U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III for the Eastern District of Tennessee. "The U.S. Attorney's Office is grateful for our law enforcement partners and their work towards our joint mission to keep Chattanooga safe for all."

"MCDs pose a significant threat to public safety. Today's sentencing underscores the importance of holding individuals accountable who recklessly discharge an illegally possessed firearm equipped with an MCD. The ATF, along with our law enforcement partners, remains committed to pursuing these individuals who endanger our communities and ensuring they are brought to justice," said Special Agent in Charge Jamey Van Vliet of the Nashville Division of the ATF.

"Our community deserves to feel safe in their homes and neighborhoods. This successful prosecution reflects the tireless efforts of CPD investigators, CPD task force officers, and our federal partners working side-by-side to dismantle violent criminal activity. We remain committed to a relentless, collaborative approach to reducing gun violence and ensuring that those who choose to harm others are held accountable at every level," said Chattanooga Chief of Police Jon Chambers.

The criminal indictment was the result of an investigation by the ATF Chattanooga Field Office and the CPD Gun Team.

Assistant United States Attorney Kevin T. Brown represented the United States.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Justice Department to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department's Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

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