West Memphis man sentenced to more than 16 years in federal prison

Career criminal Sandlin convicted of being a felon in possession of a firearm in 2022 case

By Ralph Hardin

news@theeveningtimes.com

LITTLE ROCK—Cornelius Corwine Sandlin, a multi-convicted felon, will spend 195 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 on Wednesday, August 14, 2024, by United States District Judge James M. Moody, Jr.

On February 9, 2024, Sandlin, 46, West Memphis, Arkansas, pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Judge Moody also sentenced Sandlin to three years supervised release. Sandlin was indicted on February 7, 2023, on one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.

An investigation by the West Memphis Police Department (WMPD) revealed that on January 20, 2022, WMPD Violent Crime detectives received a tip from a confidential source that Sandlin was trying to sell the confidential source an AR-style rifle from his motel room for approximately $300. The detectives conducted a surveillance operation and observed Sandlin exiting a hotel room clutching an object thought to be a firearm inside his jacket and enter his vehicle. Marked WMPD patrol units conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle in Sandlin’s driveway.

Sandlin fled on foot and was able to elude law enforcement at that time.

During a search of the Sandlin’s vehicle, detectives discovered the Hämmerli, model Tac R1 22c .22 caliber, rifle laying in the front passenger seat. The rifle was loaded with 18 rounds of ammunition. Detectives also located a casino players card ID and a pill bottle with Sandlin’s name on them. Through further investigation, Sandlin was located and taken into custody on February 24, 2022. At the time of his arrest, Sandlin was in possession of methamphetamine, cocaine, plastic baggies, a scale, ammunition, and a CB radio.

Sandlin is classified as an armed career criminal offender due to his violent criminal history that includes: robbery, theft of property, aggravated robbery, possession of cocaine, possession of marijuana with purpose to deliver, possession of ecstasy with purpose to deliver, and possession of cocaine with purpose to deliver. Therefore, the maximum penalty Sandlin faced was not less than 15 years and not more than life in prison, no more than five years supervised release, and a fine of $250,000. There is no parole in the federal system.

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