HELENA-WEST HELENA, Ark. — A 31-year-old Marion man will spend the next 50 months in federal prison for receiving a firearm while under felony information, the Office of the United States Attorney Eastern District of Arkansas announced on Tuesday.
Demarcus Parker's 50-month sentence is twice the guideline range of 15 to 21 months. United States District Jurdge D.P. Marshall Jr. also sentenced Parker to three years of supervised release.
There is no parole in the federal system.
"[Parker] has now been held accountable and punished for the subsequent offense of receiving a firearm while knowingly facing a pending charge of murder," U.S. Attorney Johnathan Ross said. "Mr. Parker has an extremely violent criminal past, and his behavior reflects no respect for the law."
Parker was stopped by the West Memphis Police Department on January 17, 2020 for committing a traffic violation. During the traffic stop, officers "located a loaded firearm under the center console of Parker's 2007 Cadillac Escalade.
Parker admitted he was in possession of the firearm and knew that felony charges were pending against him at the time Parker received this firearm. An investigation revealed that the firearm was stolen out of Denton, Texas, in 2017.
The Marion man was indicted by a federal grand jury on April 5, 2023, on one count of knowingly possessing a stolen firearm and one count of receiving a firearm while under felony information.
On July 25, 2023, Parker pleaded guilty to receipt of a firearm while under felony information.
According to the Office of the United States Attorney Eastern District of Arkansas, Parker has an extensive criminal history. On May 14, 2018, Parker was charged by felony information with several felonies, including capital murder, unlawful discharge of a firearm from a vehicle, criminal attempt capital murder and forgery.
One year later, on December 11, 2019, the Marion man was released on bond for those felony offenses before being "accused of murdering an off-duty Forrest City police officer."
The officer was "hit with a stray bullet in a gang-related shootout," and Parker was convicted of murder following a jury trial.
The Office of the United States Attorney Eastern District of Arkansas said that conviction was "ultimately overturned" on procedural grounds in March 2023.
“Today, the man who an Arkansas jury found guilty for the April 28, 2018, murder of Forrest City Police Officer Oliver Johnson, but whose conviction for that murder was later dismissed on procedural grounds, has now been held accountable and punished for the subsequent offense of receiving a firearm while knowingly facing a pending charge of murder," Ross said. "This case highlights the importance of working with our state and local partners to focus on prosecuting the most dangerous and violent offenders when no other options are available to the State of Arkansas."
The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with the assistance of the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office for the Second Judicial District. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Julie Peters.