A Little Rock man with a lengthy criminal history has been sentenced to 120 months in federal prison for being a felon in possession of multiple firearms. The sentence, announced by Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, was issued by United States District Judge Brian S. Miller on September 3, 2026.
Tyjuan Townsend, 47, pleaded guilty in April to the firearm charge, which included sentencing enhancements for drug possession. He will also serve three years of supervised release following his prison term. Parole is not available in the federal system. The charges stemmed from a federal grand jury indictment issued in August 2025, which also included counts of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, cocaine, and fentanyl, as well as possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.
The case began in late 2022 when the Little Rock Police Department (LRPD) received tips suggesting Townsend was involved in large-scale methamphetamine distribution and was armed. On July 27, 2023, LRPD officers conducted a controlled drug purchase involving a confidential informant. A subsequent search of Townsend’s residence, conducted by LRPD officers and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents, uncovered four firearms in his bedroom—a Glock .40 caliber, a Ruger .40 caliber, a Smith & Wesson 9mm, and a HI-Point 9mm with a defaced serial number. Authorities also found significant quantities of narcotics in the home, including approximately 219 grams of methamphetamine, 228 grams of cocaine, and 89 grams of fentanyl.
Townsend’s criminal record spans over a decade and includes multiple convictions for drug trafficking and other federal offenses. Notable past convictions include a 2009 federal cocaine possession charge in the Eastern District of Arkansas, a federal conviction for conspiracy to tamper with a witness, and a charge in the Eastern District of Texas for being an inmate in possession of a prohibited weapon. Additionally, he has state convictions for drug-related crimes, domestic battery, and criminal attempts to smuggle contraband into a detention facility.
The investigation into Townsend’s activities was led by the DEA with substantial assistance from the LRPD. The case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Arkansas.