Armed career criminal from Little Rock sentenced to more than 17 years in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm (DOJ)

LITTLE ROCK-Tashaun Yancy, a multi-convicted felon, will spend the next 210 months in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. 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 James M. Moody, Jr.

A federal grand jury indicted Yancy, 42, of Little Rock, on October 7, 2025, charging him in a one-count Indictment with being a felon in possession of a firearm. On June 3, 2026, Yancy pleaded guilty to the Indictment. In addition to the 210-month sentence, Judge Moody also sentenced Yance to five years' supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

On April 7, 2025, detectives with the Little Rock Police Department observed Yancy, who at the time was out on bond on four separate felony cases, on a live video stream through a social media platform shooting a firearm. Detectives observed Yancy identify himself in the live video by his street name, "TY," and described the black and gold firearm he shot multiple times as a Canik 9 mm firearm.

On June 4, 2025, detectives obtained a search warrant for Yancy's residence. During a search of Yancy's residence, detectives located a black and gold, Canik, Model METE SFX, 9 mm firearm that was loaded with approximately 17 rounds of ammunition. After being advised of his Miranda rights, Yancy admitted that he knew he was a convicted felon and could not possess a firearm. Yancy also admitted that the firearm in his possession was the same one he had in the live video and that he was shooting the firearm on land owned by the family of his roommates.

Because of his violent criminal history, Yancy is classified as an armed career criminal. Yancy's criminal history includes a pending capital murder charge in Little Rock. Regarding Yancy's past criminal history, it includes commercial burglary, theft of property, manufacture, delivery, possession of cocaine, robbery and theft of property, possession of firearm by certain person, possession with purpose to deliver methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia, forgery, and theft by receiving.

Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice's nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys' offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department's commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump's Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.

The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with assistance from LRPD. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Reese Lancaster.

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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

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