A Memphis man's reckless run from the law has earned him a stiff seven-year-plus federal prison sentence. Tracey Shaw, 27, was sentenced for being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm after striking an officer with his car and leading police on a high-speed chase, United States Attorney Kevin G. Ritz announced.

As reported by the U.S. Department of Justice, the incident began when officers approached Shaw’s black Infiniti G37 at a BP gas station in Whitehaven due to the smell of marijuana. Shaw defied orders to roll down his window, instead hitting an officer with his vehicle as he escaped — reaching speeds over 100 mph before crashing. In a subsequent foot chase, Shaw was apprehended and law enforcement discovered a Glock .40 caliber pistol with a loaded extended magazine he had ditched during his run.

United States District Judge Mark S. Norris handed down the 92-month sentence on May 2, 2024, which will be followed by three years of supervised release. Shaw had earlier pled guilty to the gun possession charge on August 16, 2023. It's worth noting in the federal system, there is no parole.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a national initiative aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence. According to a press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office, PSN is a collaborative effort among all levels of law enforcement agencies and the communities they protect. The focus of PSN includes fostering trust within communities, supporting organizations in violence prevention efforts, strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the effectiveness of these strategies.

For his office's role in securing the conviction and sentencing, Ritz gave thanks to Assistant United States Attorney Regina Thompson and the MPD and PSN Gun Task Force for their investigative work.