Milan man sentenced to 8 years in prison after demanding $1

Jackson, TN – A Milan, Tennessee man has been sentenced to over eight years in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm.  D. Michael Dunavant, United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the sentence today.

According to information presented in court, on February 5, 2025, officers with the Milan Police Department responded to the Mega Mart in Milan concerning an attempted robbery.  Officers learned that Fleming Williams, 35, had entered the store and became upset with the clerk because of the price of a cigarillo.  Williams then threatened to rob another customer at the store if he did not give him a dollar.  Williams then pulled a handgun out of his pocket and held it in his hand before leaving the store.

Officers subsequently apprehended Williams at a nearby motel where he was living.  Before he was arrested, Williams discarded his gun in a trash can near the motel.  Officers searched the area following Williams’s arrest and found the gun in the trash can.  Williams is a convicted felon and was thus prohibited by federal law from possessing a firearm.

On March 10, 2025, Williams was indicted in federal court in Jackson with being a felon in possession of a firearm, and he pled guilty to that offense on June 18, 2025.  On October 23, 2025, United States District Court Judge J. Daniel Breen sentenced Williams to 100 months’ imprisonment to be followed by three years of supervised release.

There is no parole in the federal system.

U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said: “As a threatening felon in possession of a firearm, Williams presented a clear danger to the public in multiple ways. The eight-plus year sentence imposed in this case rightly punishes him for his recidivist behavior, removes him from the community, and makes Milan and Gibson County a safer place.”

“We appreciate our federal partners for their continued efforts in prosecuting gun crimes and ensuring that offenders receive appropriate sentences,” said Milan Police Chief Bobby Sellers.  “This is one less felon that the Milan Police Department and the citizens of Milan will have to deal with, and it demonstrates the impact of strong partnerships between local and federal law enforcement.”

This case was investigated by members of the Milan Police Department and agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives.

Assistant United States Attorney Josh Morrow prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

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