A convicted felon on federal supervised release was sentenced to prison for illegal gun possession, U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson announced on Apr. 16.
Dequan Keontez Chambers, age 32, received a total sentence of 47 months—35 months for the firearm offense and an additional consecutive 12 months for violating his supervised release. After serving his prison term, Chambers will be subject to three years of supervised release.
Chambers pleaded guilty on August 28, 2025, to possession of a firearm by a felon. The case gained attention because it marked Chambers’ third criminal conviction involving firearms while he was still under supervision from his previous offense. “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, law enforcement stopped Chambers’ vehicle just after midnight on July 4, 2026. Officers discovered that he was under federal supervision and had multiple outstanding arrest warrants. When ordered out of the vehicle, Chambers refused; officers then saw that he was armed and recovered a loaded .40 caliber pistol from his waistband as well as additional ammunition from his pocket. Following an altercation with police during which he broke free from handcuffs twice and shattered the window of the transport vehicle, officers arrested him.
Chambers is legally barred from possessing firearms or ammunition due to prior convictions dating back to at least 2013.
The investigation involved several agencies including the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office; Biscoe Police Department; and assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of North Carolina.
The case highlights ongoing efforts by federal authorities in western North Carolina to address violent crime through prosecution and collaboration with local law enforcement according to the official website. The U.S. Attorney’s Office operates under the Department of Justice with nearly 100 prosecutors and staff members across facilities in Charlotte and Asheville according to its official website. Its jurisdiction covers civil actions as well as prosecutions across a region that includes parts of Great Smoky Mountains National Park and communities such as those served by the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians according to its official website.
