Collin County felon sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for creating an armed disturbance at a Plano apartment complex

SHERMAN, Texas –A Plano convicted felon has been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for a firearms violation in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.

 

Tapatrick Newton Martin, 26, pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Amos L. Mazzant on August 25, 2026.

 

According to information presented in court, on November 6, 2024, law enforcement officers responded to several calls made regarding a man armed with an AR-15-style firearm at a Plano apartment complex.  Witnesses described Martin walking in circles with the firearm and threatening to kill people on scene and advising others he planned to have a shootout with police when they arrived.  However, once officers arrived, Martin fled the scene.  Further investigation revealed Martin is a convicted felon and prohibited from owning or possessing firearms.

 

Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.

 

This case was investigated by the Plano Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Chalana A. Oliver.