Jefferson County Felon Sentenced for Federal Firearms Violation Related to Dowlen Road Disturbance (DOJ)

BEAUMONT, Texas - A Beaumont man has been sentenced to federal prison for a firearms violation in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.

Wendell Rashaud McKinney, 38, pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and was sentenced to 42 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia Crone on May 12, 2026.

According to information presented in court, during the early morning hours of February 22, 2025, a 911-caller reported multiple armed men loitering in the parking lot of the Fuma Dubai Hookah Lounge on Dowlen Road. Moments later when Beaumont police responded they found McKinney in possession of an AK-style pistol. Further investigation revealed McKinney was a previously convicted felon having been found guilty of a felony drug offense in Jefferson County and prohibited by federal law from owning or possessing firearms.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice 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.

This case was investigated by the Beaumont Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John B. Ross.

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