Little Rock man who illegally possessed firearm sentenced to over 16 years in federal prison

LITTLE ROCK—Christopher Charles Mathis, a multi-convicted felon, will spend more than sixteen years in federal prison for illegally possessing a firearm. Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, announced the sentence, which was handed down today by United States District Judge James M. Moody, Jr.
On February 13, 2024, Mathis, 43, of Little Rock, pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Today, Judge Moody sentenced Mathis to 195 months in the Bureau of Prisons to be followed by three years of supervised released. Mathis, a felon with multiple violent felony convictions, was indicted on May 3, 2023, on one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Classified as an armed career criminal, Mathis’ sentence was based on the offense as well as his documented violent criminal history. The maximum penalty Mathis faced was not less than 15 years to life in prison, no more than five years on supervised release, and a fine of $250,000. There is no parole in the federal system.

On July 22, 2022, officers from the Little Rock Police Department responded to an apartment complex in the 5000 block of West 65th Street in Little Rock, after receiving a 911 call about a man openly carrying a firearm. Upon arrival, officers spoke with witnesses who identified Mathis as the person carrying the firearm. A witness stated that Mathis did not live at the apartment complex, had previously made threats toward him, and was banned from the complex. Mathis was located on the property and taken into custody. A maintenance man located the firearm behind nearby dumpsters on the property, and witnesses confirmed that it was the same firearm they observed Mathis carrying.
Mathis has prior convictions for being a felon in possession of a firearm as well as prior convictions for residential burglary, domestic battery of a pregnant woman, terroristic threatening, possession of cocaine with intent to deliver, and possession of marijuana with intent to deliver.
The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Little Rock Police Department.