Lemario Branham, who prosecutor Chris Poole, said has been arrested 31 times since he was 12, was sentenced Thursday to serve eight years and four months in federal prison.
Judge Curtis Collier sentenced him near the top of his guideline range of 84-105 months on a felon in possession of a gun conviction.
Anthony Martinez of the public defender's office said a murder charge had been brought against Branham in the slaying of Kenyeta Tramble at East Lake Courts "based on rumor." He noted that it was dismissed.
He said while Branham was in jail on the charge his jail conversations were taped, including one in which he told a female to "get rid of that thing." He said police went to the female's residence and found a gun. He said the gun was sent to the TBI lab and found to have no relation to the Tramble slaying.
The district attorney's office has dismissed a murder charge against Lemario Branham in General Sessions Court.
Chattanooga Police initially said a witness reported seeing Branham with blood on his face and shirt following the murder of Ms. Tramble, who was shot in the face and killed on her back porch.
Branham, who is now 25, earlier served time on an eight-year sentence for a 2007 murder.
Prosecutor Poole said when Branham was 12 he led police on a high-speed chase in a stolen car, and when he was 13 he had a loaded gun at a middle school basketball game. He said when he was 16 he was involved in a carjacking in which the victim was beaten in the head and face.
Attorney Martinez said Branham had a rough upbringing with no father figure, and said the family home burned when he was a child.