A Pulaski County man with past convictions for violent crimes and firearms and drug offenses pleaded guilty Monday in federal court to one count of possession of a firearm by a felon, for which he could be sentenced to prison for 15 years to life if he is found to be an armed career criminal.
Lewis Paraham III, 50, of North Little Rock, was indicted by a federal grand jury in January on one count each of possession of a firearm by a felon, possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Under the terms of his plea agreement, Paraham agreed to plead guilty to the charge of possession of a firearm by a felon in exchange for the government's agreement to dismiss the remaining counts.
Represented by Latrece Gray with the Federal Public Defenders Office in Little Rock, Paraham was escorted into the courtroom by federal marshals to the defense table, where he went over legal papers with Gray as they awaited U.S. District Judge Lee Rudofsky's entrance into the courtroom.
As he explained Paraham's options to him, Rudofsky pointed out that the federal prison system has no provision for parole and that exceptions for good behavior offer only a small reduction in a given sentence.
"With the small exceptions for things like good time credits, and they really are small exceptions," Rudofsky said, "if I sentence you to prison, the term of imprisonment I sentence you to is the term of imprisonment you are going to serve."
Outlining the plea agreement made with Paraham, Assistant U.S. Attorney Lisa Peters told Rudofsky that Paraham is subject to a four-level increase in the base offense level once it is calculated for his offense because he possessed the firearm in connection with another felony offense, and that he is eligible for up to a three-level reduction for timely acceptance of responsibility.
Peters said that on June 11, 2021, Paraham was stopped by North Little Rock police in the area of 4700 N. Broadway for illegally tinted windows and a burned out brake light.
"Paraham was observed to be extremely nervous," Peters said. "His hands were shaking and he was speaking at an abnormally low volume."
Peters said Paraham was found to have a suspended driver's license and, after he consented to a search of his vehicle, the officer located two plastic baggies containing 6.09 grams of marijuana in the center console, 75 suspected Ecstasy pills that tested as 3.2627 grams of methamphetamine, another baggie containing 3.1794 grams of methamphetamine, and a loaded Phoenix Arms .25 caliber pistol.
"Do you agree that everything [Peters] said is entirely accurate?" Rudofsky asked Paraham.
"Yes sir," Paraham replied.
"Are there any even small inaccuracies?" the judge asked. "If there are, now is the time to tell me."
"No, there are not," the defendant answered.
"Did you know that the gun we're all talking about was in the car?" Rudofsky asked.
"Yes, sir," Paraham answered, after a brief consultation with Gray.
After Paraham entered a plea of guilty, Rudofsky asked, "is that because you are, in fact, guilty?"
"Yes, sir."
"The guilty plea is now accepted and you are judged guilty of Count 1 of the indictment," Rudofsky said, after which he approved the dismissal motion of the remaining counts.
Paraham will return for sentencing following completion of a pre-sentence report to be compiled by the U.S. Probation Office in Little Rock, a process that typically takes 60 to 90 days.