Southern District of Mississippi
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Two Illegal Aliens Plead Guilty to Unlawfully Returning to United States After RemovalRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. –Mario Castellano Machado, 37, an illegal alien from Honduras, and Teodulio Ramos Ramos, 30, an illegal alien from Guatemala, recently pled guilty before U.S. District Judge Sul Ozerden to unlawfully returning to the United States after removal, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst, Special Agent in Charge Jere T. Miles of U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations in New Orleans, and Chief Patrol Agent Gregory K. Bovino of the U.S. Border Patrol’s New Orleans Sector.
Both defendants will be sentenced by Judge Ozerden on April 2, 2020. They each face a maximum penalty of 2 years in prison followed by one year of supervised release and a $250,000 fine, as well as removal proceedings.
On November 11, 2019, a Harrison County Sheriff’s Office Interdiction Unit deputy conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle on I-10 east bound. The deputy encountered a Honduran driver, Mario Castellanos Machado, who provided a Honduran driver’s license with a false name. He told the agent that they were going from Texas to Georgia for work. A Border Patrol Agent arrived at the scene and spoke with the passengers in the vehicle. The agent recognized this as an alien smuggling event. All vehicle occupants were transported to the Border Patrol station for processing, and Homeland Security Investigation special agents responded to the Border Patrol office to assist. All eight occupants were found to be illegally present in the United States.
Mario Castellano Machado and Teodulio Ramos Ramos were positively identified by computer scans of their fingerprints into a Homeland Security Database that automatically accessed their official immigration records together with fingerprint cards, photographs and prior immigration removal documents. Both men were determined to have illegally returned to the United States after having been lawfully removed back to their home nations of Honduras and Guatemala.
U.S. Attorney Hurst praised the cooperation exhibited by the U.S. Border Patrol, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Harrison County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Stan Harris is the prosecutor for the case.
Hattiesburg Man Sentenced to over 8 Years in Federal Prison under Project EJECT for Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
Hattiesburg, Miss. – Jordan Reshard Poole, 29, of Hattiesburg, was sentenced today by Senior U.S. District Judge Keith Starrett to 100 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst, Special Agent in Charge Michelle A. Sutphin with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Special Agent in Charge Kurt Thielhorn with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Poole was also ordered to pay a $4,000 fine.
On July 17, 2017, Poole was found in possession of a firearm after police engaged with Poole and another individual in a high speed chase in Lamar County. Poole was previously convicted of multiple felonies in Forrest County, including arson. He most recently was found guilty of felony burglary and was sentenced in January 2015 to two years of confinement, consecutive to an earlier felony sentence.
Poole pled guilty before Judge Starrett on July 31, 2019. In sentencing Poole, Judge Starrett cited the seriousness of the facts leading up to Poole’s arrest.
This case is part of Project EJECT, an initiative by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi under the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) and Project Guardian. EJECT is a holistic, multi-disciplinary approach to fighting and reducing violent crime through prosecution, prevention, re-entry and awareness. EJECT stands for “Empower Justice Expel Crime Together.” PSN is bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Hattiesburg Police Department investigated the case. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Andrew W. Eichner.
Hattiesburg Man Pleads Guilty under Project EJECT to Illegally Possessing Firearm and Trafficking MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Hattiesburg, Miss. – Brian McIver, 49, of Hattiesburg, pled guilty today before Senior U.S. District Judge Keith Starrett to being a felon in possession of a firearm and possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Special Agent in Charge Michelle A. Sutphin with the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
McIver was previously convicted of felonious possession of a controlled substance (methamphetamine) in Forrest County in 2007. On April 29, 2019, during a traffic stop on the campus of the Forrest General Hospital, McIver was found in possession of a firearm as well as methamphetamine. The methamphetamine was found with a scale.
McIver will be sentenced by Judge Starrett on April 1, 2020, at 9:45 a.m. and faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison for the two charges.
This case is part of Project EJECT, an initiative by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi under the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) and Project Guardian. EJECT is a holistic, multi-disciplinary approach to fighting and reducing violent crime through prosecution, prevention, re-entry and awareness. EJECT stands for “Empower Justice Expel Crime Together.” PSN is bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, and the Forrest General Hospital Department of Public Safety Campus Police investigated the case. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Andrew W. Eichner.
Gulfport Man Sentenced to Almost 18 Years for Transporting Images of Minors Engaged in Sexually Explicit ConductRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – Jesse Allen Nichols, 37, of Gulfport, was sentenced today by Senior U.S. District Judge Louis Guirola Jr. to serve 210 months in federal prison, followed by 20 years of supervised release, for transporting images of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Jere T. Miles, Special Agent in Charge of Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations in New Orleans. Nichols was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $24,000 to victims and a special assessment of $5,000 under the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act of 2015.
“Those who peddle in obscene images of children will feel the full force and weight of the law upon their shoulders. I want to thank our partners at Homeland Security and NCMEC for helping us bring this reprehensible criminal to justice. We will be unrelenting in ensuring that the least among us are protected and safe,” said U.S. Attorney Hurst.
In February 2018, Nichols transported images of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct to “Dropbox,” on online storage medium, which resulted in the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) issuing a CyberTipline Report to Homeland Security Investigations containing at least 55 videos of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Further investigation revealed the email and user name of Nichols and it was determined that Nichols’s cell phone was used in transporting the images of the minors.
Nichols was indicted on December 12, 2018. When arrested on the indictment, Nichols admitted to the use of his cellular telephone to access various social media platforms and online storage mediums. He affirmed the use of his cellular telephone and the email identified in the CyberTipline Report, and that, through such access on his cellular device, he stored images and videos of child pornography. Nichols pled guilty before Judge Guirola on August 1, 2019.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea Jones and Trial Attorney Ralph A. Paradiso with the Department of Justice Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Picayune Man Sentenced to Eight Years in Prison under Project EJECT for Illegal Possession of FirearmRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – Dewayne Yates, 28, of Picayune, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Henry T. Wingate to 96 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and a $1,500 fine, for being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Special Agent in Charge Michelle A. Sutphin with the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Yates was previously convicted of felonious aggravated assault with a gun in Hinds County and was sentenced to serve twenty years in the custody of Mississippi Department of Corrections with ten of those years suspended. On March 31, 2017, Yates was found in possession of a firearm during an administrative checkpoint in Jackson, Mississippi.
In deciding Yates’ sentence, Judge Wingate varied upward from the Sentencing Guideline range, citing Yates’ prior criminal history and propensity for violence.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Jackson Police Department investigated the case. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Andrew W. Eichner.
This case is part of Project EJECT, an initiative by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi under the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). EJECT is a holistic, multi-disciplinary approach to fighting and reducing violent crime through prosecution, prevention, re-entry and awareness. EJECT stands for “Empower Justice Expel Crime Together.” PSN is bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Former Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
New Orleans Man Pleads Guilty to Heroin ChargeRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss – Peter Oliver Henry, 63, of New Orleans, pled guilty today before U.S. District Judge Sul Ozerden to possession with intent to distribute heroin, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Michelle A. Sutphin, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Mississippi Field Office.
Henry will be sentenced by Judge Ozerden on March 20, 2020, and faces a minimum of 5 years and a maximum of 40 years in prison for the drug charge and a minimum of 5 years of supervised release. He also faces maximum fines of $5,000,000.
On June 4, 2019, agents with the FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force in Jackson County covertly purchased 4 ounces of heroin from Henry for $10,000. Henry came to the parking lot of a local Gulf Coast shopping mall and exchanged 5 bags of heroin for the cash. Henry was subsequently arrested walking into the mall, and the money used to purchase the heroin was recovered from his car.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Safe Streets Task Force investigated the case. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Annette Williams.
Neshoba County Man Sentenced to 33 Months in Federal Prison for Sexual Abuse of a MinorRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – Daniel S. Dixon, Jr. Tubby, 39, a member of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians, was sentenced Friday by Chief United States District Judge Daniel P. Jordan III to 33 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for sexual abuse of a minor within the Pearl River Community of the Choctaw Indian reservation, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and FBI Special Agent in Charge Michelle A. Sutphin. Tubby was also ordered to pay a $1,500 fine. The defendant will be required to register as a sex offender.
On January 17, 2018, the Choctaw Police Department responded to a call for assistance in the Pearl River Community. The 14 year old victim was taken to Choctaw Health Center for treatment. Tubby admitted to sexually abusing the minor. Tubby pled guilty before Judge Jordan in September.
This case was investigated by the Choctaw Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kimberly T. Purdie.
Moss Point Man Pleads Guilty under Project EJECT to Illegally Possessing Sawed-Off ShotgunRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss – Paul Leon Heathcoe, 53, of Moss Point, pled guilty today before U.S. District Judge Sul Ozerden to illegal possession of a sawed-off shotgun, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Kurt Thielhorn, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Heathcoe will be sentenced by Judge Ozerden on March 19, 2020, at 11:00 a.m. and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
On July 21, 2018, a woman arrived at the emergency room of a hospital in Jackson County and informed law enforcement that Heathcoe had assaulted her and was in possession of a sawed-off shotgun. Heathcoe is a convicted felon and therefore prohibited from legally possessing a firearm. As a result, Jackson County Sheriff’s Office deputies obtained an arrest warrant for Heathcoe and a search warrant for his residence.
Upon executing the search warrant, deputies discovered a shotgun with a barrel measuring a little over 12 inches and an overall length of approximately 19 inches. Both the stock and the barrel had been cut off. Law enforcement also found a modified holster that Heathcoe used to wear the shotgun around the house according to the victim.
The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms investigated the case. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Annette Williams.
This case is part of Project EJECT, an initiative by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi under the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). EJECT is a holistic, multi-disciplinary approach to fighting and reducing violent crime through prosecution, prevention, re-entry and awareness. EJECT stands for “Empower Justice Expel Crime Together.” PSN is bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Former Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
Jackson Man Sentenced for Bank Fraud and Mail Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. –Clinton Moses, Jr., 51, of Jackson, was sentenced today by Senior U.S. District Judge Tom S. Lee to serve 6 months in prison and 6 months of home confinement for his role in a conspiracy to commit bank and mail fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Jere T. Miles, Special Agent in Charge of Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations in New Orleans. Moses was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $30,000.
Moses conspired with others to apply for fraudulent automobile loans at Magnolia Federal Credit Union in Hinds County, Mississippi. The conspiracy spanned from early March 2017 through October 2018. The fraudulent loan applications contained false information to include computer-generated numbers in lieu of their legitimate social security numbers and places of employment. Magnolia Federal Credit Union relied on the information provided in the automobile loan applications and processed loans in each of the defendant’s names.
The false representations made caused Magnolia Federal Credit Union to mail checks in amounts from $25,000 to $55,000 to what was later determined to fictitious automobile dealership. The defendants never intended to purchase or take possession of the vehicles that were referenced in the fraudulent loans.
The case was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and the United States Secret Service. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Erin Chalk.
Jackson Man Pleads Guilty to Illegal Possession of Firearm under Project EJECTRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – Jimmy Lee Thompson, 27, of Jackson, pled guilty today before Chief U.S. District Judge Daniel P. Jordan to being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Special Agent in Charge Kurt Thielhorn with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Thompson was previously convicted of felonious house burglary in Hinds County and was sentenced to serve ten years in the custody of Mississippi Department of Corrections with three of those years suspended. On June 30, 2018, Thompson was found in possession of a firearm during a traffic stop in Jackson, Mississippi.
Thompson will be sentenced by Chief Judge Jordan on March 13, 2020 at 9:00 a.m. He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Jackson Police Department investigated the case. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Andrew W. Eichner.
This case is part of Project EJECT, an initiative by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi under the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). EJECT is a holistic, multi-disciplinary approach to fighting and reducing violent crime through prosecution, prevention, re-entry and awareness. EJECT stands for “Empower Justice Expel Crime Together.” PSN is bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Former Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
Jackson Man Gets 18 Years in Federal Prison under Project EJECT for Illegally Possessing FirearmsRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. –Otha Ray Flowers, 37, of Jackson, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Court Judge Henry T. Wingate to 10 years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Michelle A. Sutphin, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The 10 year sentence will be served consecutive to the 8 year sentence Flowers received on December 3, 2019, based on a separate conviction for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Flowers will serve a total of 18 years in federal prison based on his two most recent convictions.
A jury convicted Flowers at the conclusion of a trial on September 18, 2019, for being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm during his arrest by the FBI on a federal warrant. On February 13, 2019, an FBI Special Agent and Task Force Officer encountered Flowers exiting his sister’s residence. When the agents informed Flowers that they were from the FBI and that he was under arrest, Flowers resisted arrest and tossed a loaded firearm that had been in his coat pocket back into his sister’s apartment. Flowers continued to resist, but he was finally subdued. The firearm was then recovered from the apartment. Flowers had been previously convicted in St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana for attempted armed robbery; in Hinds County, Mississippi for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon; and in Guadalupe County, Texas for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The case was prosecuted and tried by Assistant United States Attorneys Dave Fulcher and Chet Kirkham.
This case is part of Project EJECT, an initiative by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi under the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). EJECT is a holistic, multi-disciplinary approach to fighting and reducing violent crime through prosecution, prevention, re-entry and awareness. EJECT stands for "Empower Justice Expel Crime Together." PSN is a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
Clinton Woman Sentenced to 10 Months in Prison Under Project Guardian for Attempting to Illegally Purchase a FirearmRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – Yolunda Shaunderes Walker, 36, of Clinton, was sentenced today by Senior U.S. District Judge Tom Lee to 10 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for attempting to purchase a firearm by making false statements on a federal background check form, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Kurt Thielhorn, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Walker was also ordered to pay a $1500 fine.
On June 6, 2019, Walker attempted to purchase a 9mm pistol from a pawn shop in Jackson by completing ATF Form 4473, a federal background check form required for all firearms purchases from firearms dealers. On the form, Walker falsely stated that she was not a habitual user of controlled substances. In, 2017, Walker was charged with possession of marijuana after calling the Clinton Police Department to report that she was holding burglars at gunpoint in her home. Officers investigated and determined there were no burglars in the home and no evidence that a burglary had taken place. The officers found marijuana and a firearm in the home. There were also bullet holes inside the home where it was apparent that Walker had discharged her firearm several times inside the residence. Walker was interviewed by an officer and admitted that she smoke marijuana almost daily. As a habitual user of controlled substances, Walker is legally prohibited from purchasing a firearm.
Walker pled guilty before Judge Lee on September 12, 2019 to making false statements on a federal background check form.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Charles W. Kirkham.
This case is part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. For more information about Project Guardian, please click here.
Clinton Man Sentenced to 2 Years in Prison Under Project EJECT for Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – Jeremie Markell Torrey, 29, of Clinton, was sentenced today by Senior U.S. District Court Judge Thomas S. Lee to 24 months in federal prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Michelle A. Sutphin, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Torrey was also ordered to pay a $1500.00 fine.
On June 1, 2018, Torrey was a passenger in a vehicle that was stopped by Jackson Police Department officers. When the officer spoke with the driver, he smelled marijuana in the vehicle. Marijuana was found in the vehicle, along with baggies for packaging and a digital scale. Torrey was sitting in the back seat of the car, and a Glock pistol was found on the rear passenger armrest just next to where he was sitting. A Smith & Wesson pistol was also found under the front passenger side seat where another passenger, Clifton Horton, was sitting.
During interviews by the FBI, Torrey admitted to possessing the Glock pistol and Horton admitted to possessing the Smith & Wesson pistol. Both Torrey and Horton are convicted felons and it is illegal for them to possess firearms. Torrey pled guilty before Judge Lee on September 12, 2019, to being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm. Horton is being prosecuted in a separate criminal case by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Charles W. Kirkham.
This case is part of Project EJECT, an initiative by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi under the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). EJECT is a holistic, multi-disciplinary approach to fighting and reducing violent crime through prosecution, prevention, re-entry and awareness. EJECT stands for "Empower Justice Expel Crime Together." PSN is bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Former Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
Jackson Man Sentenced to over 6 Years in Prison for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – Kelvin Roy Thompson a/k/a “HOT” a/k/a “OLD SCHOOL,” 61, of Jackson, was sentenced yesterday by Senior U.S. District Judge David C. Bramlette III to 75 months in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for distribution of actual methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst, Special Agent in Charge Brad Byerley with the Drug Enforcement Administration, Director John Dowdy with the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, and Special Agent in Charge Kurt Thielhorn with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco Firearms and Explosives.
On or about January 19, 2018, in Jackson, Mississippi, Thompson sold methamphetamine to an individual for $200. The DEA lab confirmed the purchase to be 13.2 grams of methamphetamine hydrochloride with 98% purity.
On or about January 31, 2018, Thompson again sold methamphetamine in Jackson to an individual for $425. The DEA lab confirmed the purchase to be 26.9 grams of methamphetamine hydrochloride with 98% purity. Later that day, agents with the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics executed a search warrant at the Jackson residence of Thompson and recovered multiple bags of methamphetamine, a bag of heroin, and 3 digital scales. Agents also recovered a loaded Marlin bolt action rifle and Smith & Wesson revolver.
The case was the result of an investigation by the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Jackson Police Department and the Ridgeland Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Keesha Middleton.
Ocean Springs Man Sentenced on Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss – Robert Benjamin Jones, 33 of Ocean Springs, was sentenced today by Senior U.S. District Judge Louis Guirola, Jr. to 23 months in federal prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Special Agent in Charge Jere T. Miles with Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations in New Orleans.
Jones was on supervised release for a prior possession with intent to distribute charge when United States Postal authorities found Schedule III and IV narcotics shipped to him from Serbia. On June 27, 2018, agents made a controlled delivery of the drugs to the home Jones was living in with his girlfriend and child. Jones spotted the agents while coming home from work and turned away. Agents seized cash, digital scales, pills, liquid steroids and electronic devices from the home. The devices showed Jones used the internet and had been obtaining the drugs from several foreign countries as far back as 2017. The following day, June 28, 2018, four additional international packages of pills addressed to Jones were seized at the Ocean Springs Post Office.
Jones was convicted of the same offense in 2015 and was on supervised release at the time of his arrest. Jones was revoked and sentenced to an additional 36 months on the 2015 case, the 23 months in the 2018 case were ordered to be served consecutively by Judge Guirola. Following completion of his prison terms Jones will have 3 years of supervised release.
The case was investigated by the United States Postal Service and Homeland Security Investigations. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Annette Williams.
Natchez Man Sentenced to Prison under Project EJECT for Stealing Firearm from Licensed Firearms DealerRead the Press Release
Natchez, Miss. – Javonte Lamar Butler, 20, of Natchez, was sentenced today by Senior U.S. District Judge David C. Bramlette III to 15 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for stealing a firearm from a business that is licensed to sell firearms, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Kurt Thielhorn, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Butler was also ordered to pay a $1500 fine and $359 in restitution to the victim.
On December 14, 2018, Butler visited Peddlers Antique Pawn and Salvage, a federally licensed reseller of firearms, located in Natchez, Mississippi. While a store employee assisted two other persons, Butler reached into a glass display case, removed a pistol, and left the store without lawfully purchasing it. Butler was indicted on June 14, 2019 for stealing a firearm from a business licensed to sell firearms. Butler pled guilty before Judge Bramlette on August 1, 2019.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Bert Carraway.
This case is part of Project EJECT, an initiative by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi under the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). EJECT is a holistic, multi-disciplinary approach to fighting and reducing violent crime through prosecution, prevention, re-entry and awareness. EJECT stands for "Empower Justice Expel Crime Together." PSN is bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Former Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
Madison Man Pleads Guilty under Project EJECT to Possessing a Firearm as a Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss – John Robert Beck, 55, of Madison, pled guilty today before Chief U.S. District Court Judge Daniel P. Jordan to possessing a firearm after having been previously convicted of a felony crime, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Kurt Thielhorn, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
On September 25, 2018, Beck was stopped for a traffic violation by a Hinds County Sheriff’s deputy on McDowell Road in Jackson. Once stopped, Beck was asked to step outside of his car to speak with the deputy. For his safety, the deputy asked Beck if he had any weapons. Beck responded that he had a handgun on him and a .40 caliber handgun was removed from beneath Beck’s clothes. During their ensuing conversation, the deputy learned that Beck was a convicted felon, that he had been previously convicted in the Circuit Court of Madison County of possessing a controlled substance with intent to distribute.
On February 20, 2019, Beck was charged in a federal indictment with being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm.
Beck will be sentenced by Judge Jordan on April 3, 2020 at 9:00 a.m., and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Bert Carraway.
This case is part of Project EJECT, an initiative by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi under the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). EJECT is a holistic, multi-disciplinary approach to fighting and reducing violent crime through prosecution, prevention, re-entry and awareness. EJECT stands for "Empower Justice Expel Crime Together." PSN is bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Former Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
Justice Department Files Statement of Interest Supporting Campus Free SpeechRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – The Justice Department today filed a Statement of Interest in a federal lawsuit in Mississippi, explaining that public colleges cannot trample on their students’ First Amendment rights to free speech. The lawsuit is brought by a student organization and J. Michael Brown, a former student at Jones County Junior College, a public institution of higher education in Mississippi. The college’s policies require campus administrators to preapprove all “meetings or gatherings,” and Mr. Brown alleges that college officials called the campus police on him when he sought to engage on campus with fellow students about topics such as free speech and civil liberties.
“The United States of America is not a police state,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband for the Civil Rights Division. “Repressive speech codes are the indecent hallmark of despotic, totalitarian regimes. They have absolutely no place in our country, and the First Amendment outlaws all tyrannical policies, practices, and acts that abridge the freedom of speech.”
“Unconstitutional restrictions on our first freedoms to speak and assemble directly threaten our liberty as Americans,” said United States Attorney Mike Hurst for the Southern District of Mississippi. “While some may disagree with the content of one’s speech, we should all be fighting for everyone’s Constitutional right to speak. I pray JCJC will do the right thing, change its policies to comply with the U.S. Constitution, and encourage its students to speak and assemble throughout our free state.”
“This is yet another concerning example of students encountering limits on what, when, where, and how they learn,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos. “This is happening far too often on our nation’s campuses. This Administration won’t let students be silenced. We stand with their right to speak and with their right to learn truth through the free exchange of ideas—particularly those with which they might disagree.”
Jones County Junior College’s speech policies require students to schedule all meetings and gatherings on campus with college administrators at least three days before the event. College officials reserve the right to schedule or not schedule any activity, and there are no exceptions for even the tiniest of meetings or gatherings. Violations of the college’s speech policies can be grounds for student discipline, which may include expulsion from school. In his lawsuit, Mr. Brown alleges that campus officials twice called the campus police on him as he and one or two others spoke with students on the college’s open central quadrangle about free speech, civil liberties, and marijuana legalization. In both instances, Mr. Brown contends that he was brought to the campus police chief’s office, and was intimidated by the police chief and other campus officials. After these incidents, Mr. Brown says that he stopped engaging in expressive activity on campus for fear of disciplinary action or arrest.
The government’s Statement of Interest points to Supreme Court case law explaining that the First Amendment rights of speech and association extend to the campuses of state universities. While Jones County Junior College’s “extreme preconditions to speech might not be out of place in Oceania, the fictional dystopian superstate in George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four,” the Statement of Interest explains, “[t]he First Amendment to the United States Constitution . . . ensures that preconditions like these have no place in the United States of America.”
Justice Department Files Statement of Interest Supporting Campus Free SpeechRead the Press Release
The Justice Department today filed a Statement of Interest in a federal lawsuit in Mississippi, explaining that public colleges cannot trample on their students’ First Amendment rights to free speech. The lawsuit is brought by a student organization and J. Michael Brown, a former student at Jones County Junior College, a public institution of higher education in Mississippi. The college’s policies require campus administrators to preapprove all “meetings or gatherings,” and Mr. Brown alleges that college officials called the campus police on him when he sought to engage on campus with fellow students about topics such as free speech and civil liberties.
“The United States of America is not a police state,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband for the Civil Rights Division. “Repressive speech codes are the indecent hallmark of despotic, totalitarian regimes. They have absolutely no place in our country, and the First Amendment outlaws all tyrannical policies, practices, and acts that abridge the freedom of speech.”
“Unconstitutional restrictions on our first freedoms to speak and assemble directly threaten our liberty as Americans,” said U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst for the Southern District of Mississippi. “While some may disagree with the content of one’s speech, we should all be fighting for everyone’s Constitutional right to speak. I pray JCJC will do the right thing, change its policies to comply with the U.S. Constitution, and encourage its students to speak and assemble throughout our free state.”
“This is yet another concerning example of students encountering limits on what, when, where, and how they learn,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos. “This is happening far too often on our nation’s campuses. This Administration won’t let students be silenced. We stand with their right to speak and with their right to learn truth through the free exchange of ideas—particularly those with which they might disagree.”
Jones County Junior College’s speech policies require students to schedule all meetings and gatherings on campus with college administrators at least three days before the event. College officials reserve the right to schedule or not schedule any activity, and there are no exceptions for even the tiniest of meetings or gatherings. Violations of the college’s speech policies can be grounds for student discipline, which may include expulsion from school. In his lawsuit, Mr. Brown alleges that campus officials twice called the campus police on him as he and one or two others spoke with students on the college’s open central quadrangle about free speech, civil liberties, and marijuana legalization. In both instances, Mr. Brown contends that he was brought to the campus police chief’s office, and was intimidated by the police chief and other campus officials. After these incidents, Mr. Brown says that he stopped engaging in expressive activity on campus for fear of disciplinary action or arrest.
The government’s Statement of Interest points to Supreme Court case law explaining that the First Amendment rights of speech and association extend to the campuses of state universities. While Jones County Junior College’s “extreme preconditions to speech might not be out of place in Oceania, the fictional dystopian superstate in George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four,” the Statement of Interest explains, “[t]he First Amendment to the United States Constitution . . . ensures that preconditions like these have no place in the United States of America.”
Houston Man Sentenced to over 11 Years in Federal Prison for Marijuana Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – Kevin Lawrence, 45, of Houston, Texas, was sentenced on December 4, 2019, by Chief U.S. District Daniel P. Jordan III, to 135 months in prison for his role in a conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute marijuana, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Special Agent in Charge Brad L. Byerley with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Lawrence was also sentenced to 3 years of supervised release and ordered to pay a $2,000.00 fine.
On March 24, 2013, DEA seized approximately 262 pounds of marijuana at the Pilot Travel Center located in Jackson, Mississippi, from Kendrick Applewhite and Steven Davison. During the course of the investigation, agents learned that Kevin Lawrence ordered the marijuana and coordinated the pickup of the marijuana with Applewhite and Davison. The three were indicted on December 13, 2017.
Davison and Applewhite previously pled guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute marijuana. Davison was sentenced to 100 months in federal prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a fine of $1,500.00. Applewhite was sentenced to 21 months in federal prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a fine of $1,500.00.
On October 4, 2018, Lawrence was found guilty, after a four-day trial in U.S. District Court, of conspiring to possess with intent to distribute marijuana, possessing marijuana with intent to distribute, and using a communication facility to commit the offense.
This case was investigated by the DEA Jackson District Office, DEA Gulf Coast HIDTA and the Jackson Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Chris Wansley and John Meynardie.
Clinton Man Sentenced to Almost 7 Years in Federal Prison Under Project EJECT for CarjackingRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – Cedric Winfield, 24, of Clinton, was sentenced Friday before Chief United States District Judge Daniel P. Jordan III to 83 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for carjacking, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Michelle A. Sutphin, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Winfield was also ordered to pay $2,000 in restitution to the victim.
On November 7, 2017, while Darrell Moore was on bond for murder in Hinds County, Alexus Guster, Moore, and Cedric Winfield agreed to rob and carjack a victim at gunpoint. At the instruction of Moore and Winfield, Guster lured the victim to the location where Winfield and Moore were waiting to carjack and rob him. Guster and Winfield spoke to the victim while standing at the passenger side of the vehicle. While the victim was distracted, Moore approached the driver’s side of the vehicle, pulled the victim out of the car at gunpoint, and forced him to give up his money and the vehicle. The victim then fled the scene on foot as Moore fired his gun twice in the direction of the victim. Winfield drove the car to his residence where Moore and Guster met him to search the car for valuables.
Winfield pled guilty on October 16, 2018. Moore pled guilty on November 13, 2018, and was sentenced by Judge Jordan to over 12 years in federal prison on May 13, 2019. Guster pled guilty on January 23, 2019, and was sentenced by Judge Barbour to time served and a $1,000 fine.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Jackson Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Mary Helen Wall and Kimberly Taft Purdie.
This case is part of Project EJECT, an initiative by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi under the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). EJECT is a holistic, multi-disciplinary approach to fighting and reducing violent crime through prosecution, prevention, re-entry and awareness. EJECT stands for "Empower Justice Expel Crime Together." PSN is a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Former Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
Meridian Man Sentenced to over 13 Years in Federal Prison for Trafficking MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Meridian, Miss. – Diamonte Deron Scott, 27, of Meridian, was sentenced today by U.S. District Carlton W. Reeves to 160 months in federal prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for distributing and illegally possessing methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Brad Byerley, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
On September 1, 2016, Scott sold methamphetamine to an individual in Meridian for $3,600. A DEA laboratory confirmed the methamphetamine to be approximately 107 grams with 97% purity.
Scott pled guilty before Judge Reeves on September 6, 2019, to distributing 50 grams or more of actual methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance.
This case is the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and East Mississippi Drug Task Force. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Keesha Middleton.
Jackson Man Sentenced to Eight Years in Federal Prison Under Project EJECT for Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – Otha Ray Flowers, 37, of Jackson, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Court Judge Henry T. Wingate to 8 years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Michelle A. Sutphin, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Flowers was also ordered to pay a $1,500 fine.
A jury convicted Flowers on August 19, 2019, following a trial in U.S. District Court. Flowers is also awaiting sentencing on a second federal conviction for possession of a firearm.
On February 18, 2017, a Jackson Police Department officer initiated a field interview of two men sitting in a parked vehicle outside of Big Boys Groceries on Road of Remembrance in Jackson. Upon approaching the vehicle, the officer smelled the odor of marijuana. After asking the driver, later identified as Flowers, for his driver’s license, another officer observed the passenger appearing to put something in his mouth. Both Flowers and the passenger were ordered out of the vehicle. Flowers had been sitting on a .32 silver colored revolver, which the officer saw in plain view when Flowers exited the vehicle. The pistol was loaded with five live rounds and two spent shell casings. A records check revealed that Flowers had multiple felony convictions in Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas. Flowers also had outstanding warrants for his arrest. Officers recovered marijuana from Flowers’ pocket in addition to the loaded firearm.
Flowers was previously convicted in St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana, for attempted armed robbery; in Hinds County, Mississippi for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon; and in Guadalupe County, Texas for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Jackson Police Department. It was prosecuted and tried by Assistant United States Attorneys David Fulcher and Chet Kirkham.
This case is part of Project EJECT, an initiative by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi under the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). EJECT is a holistic, multi-disciplinary approach to fighting and reducing violent crime through prosecution, prevention, re-entry and awareness. EJECT stands for "Empower Justice Expel Crime Together." PSN is a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Former Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst Announces Significant Progress in Making our Communities Safer through Project EJECTRead the Press Release
Two years ago, the Department of Justice announced the revitalization and enhancement of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the department’s violent crime reduction strategy. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally-based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Throughout the past two years, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has partnered with all levels of law enforcement, local organizations, and members of the community to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. According to FBI’s Uniform Crime Report released this week, the violent crime rate nationally decreased for the second consecutive year, down 3.9 percent from the 2017 numbers.
“The revitalized Project Safe Neighborhoods program is a major success,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “It packs a powerful punch by combining advanced data with local leadership, further reducing violence in communities across the country and improving overall public safety. U.S. Attorneys continue to focus their enforcement efforts against the most violent criminals and work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal police. The Justice Department’s relationships across the board have never been stronger.”
“We have been successful this past year because of the hard work of our prosecutors and staff, and the strong partnerships and trust we have developed among our law enforcement, our citizens, and our communities. Under Project EJECT, we have removed violent criminals from our communities, taken illegal guns off our streets, educated our young people, empowered our citizens, and helped offenders reenter society. We are committed to continuing this good work, protecting the public, supporting our law enforcement, and making our neighborhoods safer for everyone,” said U.S. Attorney Hurst.
For Fiscal Year 2019, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi was ranked the top medium-sized office in the country for number of indictments, outpacing the other 24 medium-sized U.S. Attorney’s Offices throughout the nation. That is an outstanding improvement in just three years, where the Southern District was ranked 19 out of 25 medium-sized districts in Fiscal Year 2016. Since FY16, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has almost tripled the number of federal criminal indictments throughout the Southern District of Mississippi, charging more defendants with federal crimes than has ever been charged before in the history of the State of Mississippi.
In December 2018, the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Project EJECT was recognized and awarded Outstanding Overall Partnership/Task Force by the U.S. Department of Justice among all 94 U.S. Attorney’s Offices throughout the entire country. [link]
As we celebrate the two-year anniversary of the revitalized PSN program, here are some of the highlights of our PSN actions over the past year:
Enforcement Actions
In Fiscal Year 2019, the U.S. Attorney’s Office began its second year of Project EJECT in the City of Jackson, and expanded Project EJECT into other areas of the Southern District, including Hattiesburg, Meridian, Natchez and Moss Point.
For the first time in its history, the U.S. Attorney’s Office assigned a full-time federal prosecutor to each of these areas with responsibility to carry out Project EJECT and reduce violent crime.
I. City of Jackson
- 88 individuals indicted for federal crimes
- 77% of them detained awaiting trial
- 85 illegal guns taken off the streets
Significant Cases
- Illegal Alien Who Shot Unarmed Individual in Convenience Store Found Guilty by Federal Jury of Illegally Possessing Firearm [link]
- Felon Who Almost Ran Over Police Officer Sentenced to 16 Years for Illegally Possessing Firearm [link]
- Carjacker Who Held Woman at Gunpoint Sentenced to Over 12 Years in Prison [link]
- Armed Career Criminal, with Prior Convictions for Armed Robbery and Selling Crack Cocaine Near School Multiple Times, Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison [link]
- Jackson Murder Suspect Sentenced to Over 12 Years in Federal Prison for Carjacking and Discharging a Firearm During the Crime While on Bond by Local Judge [link]
- Jackson Man Sentenced to 9 Years in Federal Prison for Armed Robbery of Local Business [link]
- Jackson Man Sentenced to 7 Years in Federal Prison for Armed Robbery of Dollar General Store, Including Multiple Shoppers and Employees [link]
- Jackson Man Sentenced to 13 Years in Prison for Armed Carjacking Using Military Style Rifle [link]
- Georgia Man Sentenced to Almost 30 Years in Federal Prison for Carjacking and Multiple Robberies [link]
II. City of Hattiesburg
- Expanded Project EJECT to City of Hattiesburg on February 5, 2019 [link]
- 19 individuals indicted for federal crimes
- 40 illegal guns taken off the streets
Significant Cases
- Hattiesburg Man with Multiple Felony Convictions in High Speed Car Chase Pleads Guilty under Project EJECT to Illegally Possessing Firearm [link]
- Hattiesburg Man Previously Convicted of Armey Robbery Pleads Guilty under Project EJECT to Illegally Possessing Firearm [link]
III. City of Meridian
- Expanded Project EJECT to City of Meridian on February 26, 2019 [link]
- 10 individuals indicted for federal crimes
- 54 illegal guns taken off the streets
Significant Cases
- Meridian Man with Multiple Prior Felony Convictions Sentenced to 3 Years in Federal Prison for Possessing Five Illegal Firearms [link]
IV. City of Natchez
- Expanded Project EJECT to City of Natchez on February 27, 2019 [link]
- 6 individuals indicted for federal crimes
- 8 illegal guns taken off the streets
Significant Cases
- Natchez Man Pleads Guilty under Project EJECT to Stealing a Firearm from a Licensed Firearms Dealer [link]
- Natchez Man Pleads Guilty under Project EJECT to Receiving a Firearm While Under Felony Indictment
V. City of Moss Point
- Expanded Project EJECT to City of Moss Point on February 21, 2019 [link]
Significant Cases
- Moss Point Man Sentenced to Over 12 Years in Federal Prison for Illegal Gun and Methamphetamine Trafficking [link]
- Moss Point Man Pleads Guilty to Gun Charges
- Jackson County Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Possession of Firearm by a Felon [link]
- Moss Point Man Sentenced to Over 5 years in Prison for Illegally Possessing Firearm
COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS
Project EJECT is not only focused on prosecutions, but also prevention, reentry and awareness. Throughout the year, our office has participated with our communities, our law enforcement, our schools, our faith-based organizations, and many others in the following activities:
Prevention
- Presentation of the L.E.A.D. Program to Kids and Adults in Meridian [link]
- AUSA Trains Kids on L.E.A.D. Program at Boys and Girls Clubs in Jackson [link]
- AUSA Presents L.E.A.D. Program to Adams County Sheriff’s Youth Group [link]
- AUSAs Sponsor High School Mock Trial Team in Jackson [link]
- AUSAs Present L.E.A.D. Program to Osceola McCarty Youth Development Summer Camp and the Hattiesburg Parks and Summer Camp at N.R. Burger Middle School
- L.E.A.D. Program presented by AUSAs at Hattiesburg YMCA Summer Camp and the Hattiesburg Police Department P.A.L.S. program
Reentry
- United States Attorney’s Office Hosts Re-entry Services Fair in Meridian [link]
- United States Attorney’s Office to Host Re-entry Services Fair in Jackson [link]
- United States Attorney’s Office to Host Re-entry Services and Jobs Fair in Natchez [link]
- U.S. Attorney Participates in MDOC Second Annual Reentry Symposium [link]
Awareness
- Training Recruits with Jackson Police Department on Federal Crimes [link]
- U.S. Attorney’s Office Attends Coffee with a Copy in Hattiesburg [link]
- Project EJECT Awards to Law Enforcement, Community, Local Heroes [link]
- Public Awareness Campaign with Billboards Placed Around Southern District of Mississippi
Project EJECT is an initiative by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi under the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). Project EJECT is a holistic, multi-disciplinary approach to fighting and reducing violent crime through prosecution, prevention, re-entry and awareness. EJECT stands for "Empower Justice Expel Crime Together." PSN is bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime. To learn more about Project Safe Neighborhoods, go to www.justice.gov/psn.
Pascagoula Man Convicted of Conspiracy to Traffic MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – Derek Erwin Graves, 52, of Pascagoula, pled guilty today before U.S. District Judge Sul Ozerden to conspiracy to possess methamphetamine with intent to distribute, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Special Agent-in-Charge Kurt Thielhorn with the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Graves is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Ozerden on March 13, 2020, at 9:00 a.m. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and $1,000,000 fine.
On December 30, 2018, the South Mississippi Metro Enforcement Team executed a search warrant on an apartment in Pascagoula. During the search, agents made contact with Derek Erwin Graves, who was found to be in possession of a plastic bag containing about 6 grams of methamphetamine. Agents also found methamphetamine in Grave’s bedroom and elsewhere in his apartment, along with a semi-automomatic .380 caliber pistol. Graves, who was a previously convicted felon, was arrested and transported to the Jackson County Adult Detention Center.
The methamphetamine seized in Graves’ apartment was determined to be actual methamphetamine with purity rates ranging from 96% to 100% pure methamphetamine.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Drug Enforcement Administration, South Mississippi Metro Enforcement Team, Jackson County Sheriff’s Department, and the City of Pascagoula Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stan Harris.
Defendant Found Guilty in Corruption Scheme Involving Introduction of Illegal Items into Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – After a seven day bench trial before United States District Judge Carlton W. Reeves, Kpanah Kollie, of Georgia, was found guilty yesterday of conspiracy to introduce contraband into a federal prison, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Special Agent in Charge James F. Boyersmith with the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General (DOJ OIG) Miami Field Office.
“Those who commit public corruption and participate in corrupt schemes endangering the public and others will swiftly be brought to justice by this office. I applaud the tenacity of the special agents, BOP personnel, and our federal prosecutors in prosecuting this difficult case. The actions by law enforcement here in stopping further cellphones and other contraband from entering the prison may have saved lives,” said U.S. Attorney Hurst.
“Contraband in federal prisons, such as the drugs and cell phones in this case, undermines the safety and security of staff, inmates, and the community. Today’s verdict shows that all persons involved in smuggling schemes, including persons outside the prison like Kollie, will be held accountable,” said James F. Boyersmith, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General Miami Field Office.
In 2015, Kollie worked with inmates and correctional officers at the federal prison in Yazoo City, Mississippi, to smuggle illegal contraband into the facility for prisoners. The illegal contraband included illicit drugs and unauthorized cell phones. Correctional officers introduced these items, inmates sold them within the prison to other prisoners, and Kollie and others ensured that the officers and inmates were paid for their efforts.
Kollie is the fourth defendant convicted for her role in the corrupt scheme. Two guards and one inmate previously pled guilty.
Kollie will be sentenced on March 3, 2020, by Judge Carlton W. Reeves. She faces a maximum penalty of 5 years in prison, followed by up to 3 years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
The case was investigated by special agents of the Office of Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Justice and staff from the Federal Correctional Complex at Yazoo. It was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael FiggsGanter, Assistant U.S. Attorney Candace Mayberry, and others in the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Pearl Man Sentenced to 15 Months in Prison for Attempting to Acquire a Firearm by FraudRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – Michael Wayne Pearson, 49, of Pearl, was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Judge Henry T. Wingate to 15 months in federal prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for attempting to acquire a firearm by making fraudulent statements on a federal background check form and causing a federal firearms licensee to keep false information, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Kurt Thielhorn, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
On July 24, 2018, Pearson attempted to purchase a firearm from a gun shop in Pearl, Mississippi. He completed and signed ATF Form 4473 while at the gun shop as part of the federally required background check process. The form requires the firearm purchaser to designate whether they have ever been committed to a mental institution. Pearson fraudulently checked "No" and signed the form, certifying that his false answer was truthful. Under federal law, it is unlawful for a person who has been judicially committed involuntarily to either possess or purchase a firearm.
Pearson had previously been judicially committed for mental treatment by the Chancery Court of Rankin County. The firearm purchase was denied after the National Instant Criminal Background Check System rejected his attempted purchase due to his previous commitment for mental treatment.
Pearson was charged in a federal indictment on December 11, 2018, with making a false statement in an attempt to acquire a firearm and giving false information to a federal firearm licensee. He was found guilty by a jury in U.S. District Court on April 24, 2019.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys S. Lynn Murray and Charles W. Kirkham.
This case is part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. For more information about Project Guardian, please click here.
Illegal Alien Sentenced for Unlawful Reentry by an Alien After RemovalRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – Benjamin Sanchez-Perez, 28, a citizen of Mexico, was sentenced today by Senior U.S. District Judge Louis Guirola, Jr., to time served and one year of supervised release for unlawful reentry by an alien after removal, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst, Jere T. Miles, Special Agent in Charge of Immigration & Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations in New Orleans, and Gregory Bovino, Chief Patrol Agent of the Border Patrol, New Orleans Sector.
On September 12, 2019, a Harrison County Sheriff’s Department Interdiction Unit Agent stopped a Sport Utility Vehicle on Interstate 10 eastbound. Indicators of illegal alien smuggling were detected and a Border Patrol Agent arrived to assist. Agents made contact with the driver of the vehicle who did not have a valid driver’s license. Among the passengers were three men, including Sanchez-Perez, who were determined to be illegal aliens to the United States who had returned after being formally removed from the U.S. All vehicle occupants were transported to the Border Patrol Station in Gulfport, for further processing and investigation.
Sanchez-Perez was determined to have entered the United States through Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, about four days before his arrest in Mississippi. Further investigation revealed that Sanchez-Perez had been previously removed from the United States by Immigration and Customs Enforcement in March, 2019. At the time of his removal, Sanchez-Perez was prohibited from entering, attempting to enter, being in the United States, or applying for admission to the United States, for at least five years.
Sanchez-Perez pled guilty before Judge Guirola on October 28, 2019.
U.S. Attorney Hurst praised the cooperation exhibited by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Border Patrol, and the Harrison County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stan Harris is the prosecutor for the case.
Illegal Alien Pleads Guilty to Unlawful Return After RemovalRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – Yesenia Flores-Ortega, 27, an illegal alien from Mexico, pled guilty yesterday before Senior U.S. District Judge Louis Guirola, Jr., to unlawful reentry by an alien after removal, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst, Special Agent in Charge Jere T. Miles with Immigration & Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations in New Orleans, and Gregory K. Bovino, Chief Patrol Agent of the Border Patrol’s New Orleans Sector.
Flores-Ortega is scheduled to be sentenced on February 25, 2020. She faces a potential 2 years in prison, 1 year of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine, as well as Homeland Security removal proceedings.
On September 12, 2019, a Harrison County Sheriff’s Department Interdiction Unit Agent stopped a Sport Utility Vehicle on Interstate 10 eastbound. Agents made contact with Flores-Ortega, who was the driver of the vehicle. Flores-Ortega and her three passengers were determined to be illegal aliens to the United States who had returned after being removed.
Flores-Ortega had been removed pursuant to a lawful Removal Order signed on January 27, 2015. She was charged in a federal criminal indictment with unlawful return of an alien after removal. Each of the three passengers were also prosecuted and pled guilty to the same crime.
U.S. Attorney Hurst praised the cooperation exhibited by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Border Patrol, and the Harrison County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stan Harris is the prosecutor for the case.
Nurse Pleads Guilty to Mail Fraud in Connection with Compound Pharmacy Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – Fallon Deneem Page, 37, of Hattiesburg, pled guilty yesterday before Senior U.S. District Judge Keith Starrett to mail fraud in connection with a compound pharmacy fraud scheme, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Special Agent in Charge Michelle Sutphin with the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Mississippi.
In October 2014, Page, a registered nurse, received $100 for each patient she referred to Medical Solutions of Ocean Springs, a company owned and operated by Dr. Shahajan Sultan. Each patient had to have health insurance benefits that would cover the cost of expensive compound medications manufactured and dispensed by a pharmacy located in Jackson County, Mississippi. If the patient was covered by health insurance, Page and others performed cursory medical examinations, sometimes in public locations such as parking lots, playgrounds, and gas stations. During the short assessments, the patients were prescribed expensive compound medications and their insurance companies were billed.
On October 23, 2014, Page provided a patient’s health insurance information to Medical Solutions of Ocean Springs and/or the pharmacy in Jackson County. The patient actually never had a consultation with the doctor. As a result of Page providing the information, the pharmacy shipped via Federal Express the compound medications. Page admitted to knowing there was no medical necessity for the expensive prescriptions, and she further admitted that she knew by submitting the claim, the health insurance company would pay. In total, the insurance company reimbursed the pharmacy for the October 23, 2014, prescriptions approximately $34,047.00.
Page will be sentenced by Judge Starrett on February 26, 2020, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The case was investigated by the FBI and the Department of Defense Criminal Investigative Service. Assistant Chief Dustin M. Davis and Trial Attorney Sara E. Porter of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathlyn R. Van Buskirk prosecuted the case.
Jackson Man Sentenced under Project EJECT to over 4 Years in Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing a Firearm as a Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – Rodney Davis Kimble, 26, of Jackson, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Court Judge Daniel P. Jordan III to 50 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Special Agent in Charge Kurt Thielhorn with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Kimble was also ordered to pay a $1,500 fine.
On August 8, 2017, officers with the Jackson Police Department responded to a burglary alarm on Southland Drive in Jackson. At the scene, the resident reported a .380 caliber Taurus had been stolen. JPD’s Crime Scene Unit collected evidence, including blood samples, from the crime scene. On September 3, 2017, officers were dispatched to West McDowell Road, where Rodney Davis Kimble had threatened an individual with a gun. Kimble was arrested and charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The firearm in Kimble’s possession matched the description of the stolen firearm. Following his arrest, law enforcement matched Kimble’s DNA to that recovered at the scene of the burglary on August 8. Kimble confessed to the crime when confronted with the DNA evidence. Kimble was charged with house burglary and convicted in the Circuit Court of Hinds County in September 2018. Kimble had previously been convicted in Hinds County of house burglary in 2012, and business burglary in 2015.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Jackson Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kimberly T. Purdie.
This case is part of Project EJECT, an initiative by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi under the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). EJECT is a holistic, multi-disciplinary approach to fighting and reducing violent crime through prosecution, prevention, re-entry and awareness. EJECT stands for "Empower Justice Expel Crime Together." PSN is bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Former Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
Jackson Man Sentenced under Project EJECT to 2 ½ Years in Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing a GunRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – Bernard Lavon Woofter, 43, of Jackson, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Court Judge Daniel P. Jordan III to 30 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Michelle A. Sutphin, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. He was also ordered to pay a $1,500 fine.
On February 13, 2018, Woofter was arrested by an officer with the Jackson Police Department following a pat down search wherein the officer discovered Woofter was carrying a Rossi .38 Special revolver in his waistband. He had two previous convictions for felony theft in Knox County, Tennessee, and was prohibited from possessing a firearm.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Jackson Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kimberly T. Purdie.
This case is part of Project EJECT, an initiative by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi under the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). EJECT is a holistic, multi-disciplinary approach to fighting and reducing violent crime through prosecution, prevention, re-entry and awareness. EJECT stands for "Empower Justice Expel Crime Together." PSN is bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Former Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
Two Doctors Plead Guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Health Care Fraud in Compound Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Hattiesburg, Miss. – Shahjahan Sultan, M.D., 37 of Madison, Mississippi and Thomas Edward Sturdavant, M.D., 56, of Kingsport, Tennessee, pled guilty today before Senior U.S. District Judge Keith Starrett to conspiring to commit health care fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Special Agent in Charge Michelle Sutphin with the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Mississippi.
“These doctors violated their oaths and harmed our military, our veterans, and every American taxpayer by defrauding TRICARE. I want to commend our law enforcement partners, DOJ trial attorneys, and our federal prosecutors for bringing these criminals to justice. We will continue to aggressively pursue criminals who pilfer our national treasury and do all that we can to protect victims of these crimes,” said U.S. Attorney Hurst.
In May 2014, Sultan entered into a contract with a pharmacy located in Jackson County, Mississippi. Pursuant to the contract, Sultan agreed to prescribe expensive compound medications to individuals in exchange for the pharmacy paying Sultan 35% of the reimbursements it received for the prescriptions. Health care benefit programs, including TRICARE, were billed for the compounded medications.
Sultan employed others who identified individuals in places like Jones County, Mississippi, who had insurance which covered the expensive compounded medications. Sultan met with the insured individuals over telemedicine video-chat sessions. However, during the meetings, he did not perform thorough examinations of the individuals and did not determine the medical necessity of the compounded medications he prescribed. Sultan knew that some of the added ingredients in the compounded medication were not effective and were added solely to increase the reimbursement value. On occasion, Sultan and Sturdavant even called in compounded medications for individuals they had never previously examined.
Sultan hired Sturdavant in September 2014 and agreed to pay him $900,000 annually to perform telemedicine services and to prescribe the compounded medications dispensed by the pharmacy. From May 2014 through October 2014, health care benefit programs, including TRICARE, reimbursed the pharmacy more than $5,000,000 based on claims submitted by the pharmacy in connection with the expensive compounded medications ordered by Sultan and Sturdavant.
Sultan and Sturdavant will be sentenced by Judge Starrett on February 26, 2020 in Hattiesburg. They each face a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, 3 years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
The case was investigated by the FBI and DCIS. Assistant Chief Dustin M. Davis and Trial Attorney Sara E. Porter of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathlyn R. Van Buskirk of the Southern District of Mississippi prosecuted the case.
Edwards Man Pleads Guilty to Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss – Daniel Chad Parrette, of Edwards, pled guilty today before Chief U.S. District Judge Daniel P. Jordan to possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst.
On March 30, 2018, MBN agents received information that Parrette was attempting to sell methamphetamine. Based upon this information, as well as the agents’ observations, agents made a traffic stop on Parrette’s truck and confronted Parrette. Agents searched Parrette’s ruck and found four individually wrapped bags of methamphetamine. In a subsequent interview, Parrette told agents that he wanted to sell the methamphetamine.
On April 3, 2019, Parrette was charged in a federal indictment with possession with intent to distribute a substance containing methamphetamine. He will be sentenced by Judge Jordan on February 21, 2020 and faces a statutory penalty of up to 20 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine.
The case was investigated by the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Bert Carraway.
Jackson Man Sentenced to 2 Years in Federal Prison under Project EJECT for Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – Andrew Rollins, 28, of Jackson, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Carlton W. Reeves to 24 months in federal prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Special Agent in Charge Michelle A. Sutphin with the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Mississippi.
Rollins had previously been convicted of felonious house burglary in Hinds County in 2013. On August 22, 2018, in Hinds County, Rollins discharged a firearm multiple times at another person. The shooting occurred within 1,000 feet of an elementary school. At the time of this offense, Rollins was still on Hinds County probation and his state probation has since been revoked.
Rollins was originally indicted for this offense on January 25, 2019. He pled guilty before Judge Reeves on March 26, 2019 to being a felon in possession.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Jackson Police Department investigated the case. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Andrew W. Eichner.
This case is part of Project EJECT, an initiative by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi under the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). EJECT is a holistic, multi-disciplinary approach to fighting and reducing violent crime through prosecution, prevention, re-entry and awareness. EJECT stands for “Empower Justice Expel Crime Together.” PSN is bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Former Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
Harrison County Man Pleads Guilty to Failure to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – Darrell Lee Bradshaw, 51, of Harrison County, pled guilty yesterday before Senior U.S. District Judge Louis Guirola, Jr. to failure to register as a sex offender, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and U.S. Marshal Mark Shepherd.
On November 13, 2015, Bradshaw was released from prison in Oregon as a Tier III Sex Offender who has a lifetime requirement to register as a sex offender. He has acknowledged his continuing requirement to register as a sex offender, and to keep his registration current wherever he resides. Bradshaw moved from Oregon to Mississippi in 2016, and was essentially living as a homeless person in or near Harrison County. He did not notify state officials, as was required of him, when he left the State of Oregon and had not registered as a sex offender in the State of Mississippi. On November 9, 2016, a no bail/limited extradition warrant for Bradshaw's arrest was issued in the State of Oregon, for Parole Violation on his earlier sex abuse conviction.
Bradshaw’s continuing residence in Mississippi was documented by other records including an arrest on unrelated charges by the Ocean Springs Police Department in Jackson County in 2017, and arrests on unrelated charges by the Biloxi Police Department in 2017 and 2018. Following his arrest in October 2018, Bradshaw was incarcerated in the Harrison County Adult Detention Facility, and a Harrison County Sheriff’s Office sex offender registration coordinator, together with the US Marshal’s Service, investigated Bradshaw’s failure to register as a sex offender.
Bradshaw is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Guirola on February 12, 2020, in Gulfport. He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000.00 fine. Law enforcement records document that Bradshaw also has been known by the following names or name variations: Darrell Lee Sawyer and Albert Duncan Sawyer.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Marshal’s Service, law enforcement officials in the State of Oregon, the Mississippi Department of Public Safety, the Harrison County Sheriff’s Department, and the City of Biloxi Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stan Harris.
Two Illegal Aliens from Mexico Plead Guilty to Unlawful Return After RemovalRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – Osvaldo Martinez-Zamora, 44, and Mauricio Munoz-Martinez, 45, both citizens of Mexico, pled guilty yesterday to unlawful reentry by an alien after deportation or removal, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst, Jere T. Miles, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations in New Orleans, and Gregory K. Bovino, Chief Patrol Agent of the Border Patrol’s New Orleans Sector.
Martinez-Zamora previously pled guilty before U.S. District Judge Sul Ozerden and will be sentenced on February 18, 2020 at 9:30 a.m. Munoz-Martinez pled guilty before Senior U.S. District Judge Louis Guirola, Jr. and will be sentenced on February 11, 2020, at 1:30 p.m. Both men face a potential 2 years in prison, 1 year of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine, as well as Department of Homeland Security removal proceedings.
On September 12, 2019, an agent with the Harrison County Sheriff’s Office Interdiction Unit stopped a 2019 black sport utility vehicle on Interstate 10 eastbound. Indicators of illegal alien smuggling were detected, and a Border Patrol Agent arrived to assist. Agents made contact with the driver of the vehicle, and the front seat passenger, who was the driver’s husband. Among the passengers were three men, including Martinez-Zamora and Munoz-Martinez, who were illegal aliens in the United States who had returned after being formally removed from the United States. All vehicle occupants were transported to the Border Patrol Station in Gulfport, for further processing and investigation.
Defendants Martinez-Zamora and Munoz-Martinez were determined to have entered the United States through Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, about four days before their arrest in Mississippi. It was learned that both men had been previously ordered removed from the United States, and had been physically removed pursuant to their removal orders.
U.S. Attorney Hurst praised the cooperation exhibited by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Border Patrol, and the Harrison County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stan Harris is the prosecutor for the case.
Ocean Springs Man Pleads Guilty to Being a Convicted Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – Joshua David Odom, 35, of Ocean Springs, pled guilty today before U.S. District Judge Sul Ozerden to being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Kurt Thielhorn, Special Agent in Charge of The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
On October 12, 2017, Odom was in possession of a firearm he obtained from a residence in Jackson County. Odom was previously convicted in the Circuit Court of Jackson County and sentenced to serve a period of seven (7) years each on 2 separate counts of burglary, as well as three (3) years for credit card fraud, with the Mississippi Department of Corrections. As a convicted felon, Odom is prohibited from possessing a firearm.
Odom will be sentenced by Judge Ozerden on Friday, February 28, 2020, at 1:30 p.m., in Gulfport. He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The case was investigated by The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea Jones.
Picayune Man Sentenced to 30 Years for Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – Dannie Curlee, Jr., 46, of Picayune, was sentenced today by Senior U.S. District Judge Louis Guirola Jr., to the maximum statutory penalty of 30 years in federal prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release, for producing images of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Jere T. Miles, Special Agent in Charge of Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in New Orleans. Curlee was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $3,000 to a victim, and a special assessment of $5,000 under the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act of 2015.
“Harming children by producing child pornography is pure evil, plain and simple. Those who commit such evil acts will face severe consequences from this office. There is absolutely no place in our society for this abhorrent activity, and we will continue to do all that we can to protect children and prevent the most vulnerable among us from ever becoming a victim,” said U.S. Attorney Hurst.
In February 2017, Curlee produced images of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Curlee was identified by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Attaché Vancouver, and HSI in Mississippi, as an individual, with a specific user name, involved with numerous individuals posting images and videos depicting the sexual exploitation of children utilizing instant messaging mobile app “Kik.”
Further investigation and the identification of an internet protocol or “IP” address linked to Curlee led to the execution of a federal search warrant at Curlee’s Picayune residence in July 2018 and his subsequent arrest. Curlee admitted when interviewed that he had produced images of a minor child. Curlee was charged in a federal criminal indictment with producing images of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct. He pled guilty before Judge Guirola on August 7, 2019.
The case was investigated by the Homeland Security Investigations Gulfport Border Enforcement Security Task Force with assistance from the Pearl River County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea Jones.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Ocean Springs Woman Pleads Guilty to Failing to Report and Concealing Federal CrimeRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – Lauren Nicole Colegrove, 29, of Ocean Springs, pled guilty yesterday before U.S. District Judge Sul Ozerden to misprision of felony for her failure to report to authorities, and then affirmatively concealing the fact that a federal crime had occurred, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Kurt Thielhorn, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
On October 12, 2017, Colegrove became aware that a man she was accompanying had burglarized a St. Martin home, and thereafter was in possession of stolen firearms. Colegrove not only failed to notify federal authorities as soon as possible once she became aware of the crime, but she also took affirmative acts to conceal the crime.
Colegrove will be sentenced by Judge Ozerden on Friday, February 21, 2020, at 9:00 a.m., in Gulfport. She faces a maximum penalty of 3 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The case was investigated by The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea Jones.
Former Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians Tribal Council Member Arrested and Charged with Additional Federal CrimesRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A former member of the Tribal Council for the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians has been charged with additional criminal violations in a Superseding Indictment and arrested for burglary, sexual abusive contact, witness tampering, theft/embezzlement, and wire fraud, announced United States Attorney Mike Hurst and Michelle A. Sutphin, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Mississippi.
An original indictment returned by a federal grand jury on February 6, 2019, had charged the former elected lawmaker Randy Lamar Anderson, 46, of Conehatta, Miss., with defrauding the Tribal government (One count of theft and two counts of wire fraud).
According to the indictment, between March 2015 and December 2017, Anderson is alleged to have forged hotel bills and receipts, and submitted those documents to the Tribal government in claims for reimbursement for official business travel. Since the original indictment issued, Anderson’s term on the Tribal Council expired, and Anderson did not run for reelection to the Council.
On February 13, 2019, Anderson appeared for arraignment on the original indictment before United States Magistrate Judge Linda R. Anderson in Jackson, Mississippi. The Court released Anderson on bond, subject to conditions including that he refrain from further violations of state or federal law while awaiting his trial.
On November 6, 2019, additional charges were returned by a Federal Grand Jury in a Superseding Indictment, alleging that Anderson, while subject to the conditions of his release on bond, entered the home of a female Choctaw Indian on Reservation lands during the night of August 25, 2019, and committed an abusive sexual contact of the woman, who was unable to appraise the nature of the conduct and physically incapable of declining participation in, or communicating unwillingness to engage in, that sexual act. The Superseding Indictment also alleges that in the days following the incident in August and September, Anderson engaged in witness tampering by attempting to intimidate and threaten the victim into not reporting his offense and violations of his bond conditions, as well as attempting to corruptly persuade and mislead the Choctaw Police Department into pressing criminal charges against her, to dissuade her from filing charges.
Anderson appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Linda R. Anderson for arraignment on the Superseding Indictment today in Jackson. He faces maximum penalties of 5 years in prison for theft from an Indian Tribal Organization; 20 years for each count of Wire Fraud; a mandatory minimum of three years for Burglary, with a maximum of 25 years; a maximum of 15 years for Abusive Sexual Contact; and up to 30 years for each count of Witness Tampering. Each count also can merit a fine of up to $250,000. Anderson was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals to await a detention hearing scheduled for Tuesday, November 19, 2019.
U.S. Attorney Hurst commended the work of the Special Agents with the FBI’s Jackson Division who investigated the case. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Theodore Cooperstein.
The public is reminded that an indictment is merely a charge and should not be considered as evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Nicholson Man Pleads Guilty to Being a Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – Ronald Christopher Dressner, 41, of Nicholson, pled guilty today before U.S. District Judge Sul Ozerden, to being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Kurt Thielhorn, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
On May 20, 2019, interdiction officers with the South Mississippi Metro Enforcement Team attempted to initiate a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by Dressner for a stolen tag. When the officer attempted to stop the vehicle, Dressner would not stop, and a pursuit ensued. Dressner eventually stopped his vehicle and a passenger in the vehicle advised officers that she observed Dressner throw a silver and black handgun out of the passenger window. Officers returned to the location and discovered a Smith & Wesson, .40 caliber pistol loaded with five live rounds. When Dressner was interviewed, he ultimately admitted to throwing the firearm out of the window during the pursuit. Dressner had previous felony convictions for possession of a controlled substance in the Circuit Court of Pearl River County for which he was sentenced to serve 16 years in the custody of the Mississippi Department of Corrections.
Dressner will be sentenced by Judge Ozerden on February 21, 2020, at 10:00 a.m. in Gulfport. He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The Jackson County South Mississippi Metro Enforcement Team and The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea Jones.
Convicted Felon Pleads Guilty to Illegally Possessing FirearmRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – Semaj Jermal Jefferson, 27, of Gulfport, pled guilty today before Senior U.S. District Judge Louis Guirola, Jr., to being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Kurt Thielhorn, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
On August 16, 2018, Jefferson, a previously-convicted felon, sold a semi-automatic rifle loaded with 10 live rounds of 7.62 caliber ammunition to an individual at a Gulfport, Mississippi, residence, for $450. Jefferson was previously convicted of burglary of a dwelling in Harrison County, Mississippi, and was therefore prohibited under federal law from possessing a firearm.
Jefferson will be sentenced by Judge Guirola on February 11, 2020, at 10:00 a.m., in Gulfport. He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The case was investigated by The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea Jones.
Meridian Man Pleads Guilty under Project EJECT to Illegally Possessing a GunRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – Corey Douglas Burt, 28, of Meridian, pled guilty Thursday before Chief U.S. District Judge Daniel P. Jordan III to being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Kurt Thielhorn, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
On April 18, 2019, the Meridian Police Department was called to a motel located on South Frontage Road in Meridian. An MPD officer responded to the scene and learned that motel staff were attempting to clean a room, but the door was locked and the person inside the room would not answer the door despite insistent knocking and verbal requests. The MPD officer was eventually able to get the occupant, Burt, to answer the door.
Burt was not the guest registered in the room and he was unable or unwilling to tell the officer how he had gained access to the room or who had rented the room. There was no one else in the room. The officer noticed a .380 caliber pistol on a bedside table as he was checking the room. Burt told the officer that he had gotten the gun from a friend. A check of the firearm revealed that it was reported stolen in 2017. Further investigation revealed that Burt had a prior conviction for burglary in Lauderdale County and was prohibited from possessing a firearm.
On July 24, 2019, Burt was indicted by a federal grand jury for being a felon in possession of a firearm. He is currently in custody and will be sentenced by Judge Jordan on February 18, 2020. He faces a maximum penalty of ten years in prison and a $250,000.00 fine.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Charles W. Kirkham.
This case is part of Project EJECT, an initiative by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi under the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). EJECT is a holistic, multi-disciplinary approach to fighting and reducing violent crime through prosecution, prevention, re-entry and awareness. EJECT stands for "Empower Justice Expel Crime Together." PSN is bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Former Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
Jackson Man Pleads Guilty under Project EJECT to Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – Travis Cortez Lewis, 30, of Jackson, pled guilty today before U.S. District Carlton W. Reeves to being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Special Agent in Charge Kurt Thielhorn with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
On May 13, 2018, officers with the Jackson Police Department arrested Travis Cortez Lewis on a pending warrant and found him in possession of a firearm. Upon questioning, Lewis admitted to purchasing the firearm and to being a convicted felon. Lewis has prior convictions in Hinds County for cocaine possession and robbery.
Lewis will be sentenced by Judge Reeves on February 10, 2020, and faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lynn Murray.
This case is part of Project EJECT, an initiative by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi under the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). EJECT is a holistic, multi-disciplinary approach to fighting and reducing violent crime through prosecution, prevention, re-entry and awareness. EJECT stands for "Empower Justice Expel Crime Together." PSN is bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Former Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
Department of Justice Awards more than $100 Million to Combat Human Trafficking and Assist VictimsRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – The U.S. Department of Justice announced today it has awarded more than $100 million in funding, including grants to Mississippi recipients, to combat human trafficking and provide vital services to trafficking victims throughout the United States.
“Human traffickers remain a dire threat to human rights across the globe and their actions pose a serious danger to public safety right here in our own country,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “I’m proud that these resources will help our law enforcement officers and victim service providers hold perpetrators accountable and give victims of these abominable crimes a place to turn for refuge and support.”
“We have made the fight against human trafficking a priority in this office, and today’s DOJ grant awards to our fellow members of the Mississippi Human Trafficking Council will allow us all to do even more of this important work. It is only through proactive collaboration and diligent cooperation with our law enforcement, victim service providers, and other stakeholders that we will be able to continue to successfully protect victims, prevent trafficking, and prosecute these criminals,” said U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst, Southern District of Mississippi.
“Preventing and combatting human trafficking is a priority in this District and across our State,” said Chad Lamar, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Mississippi, noting the importance of these grants in helping to combat human trafficking in Mississippi. “We are continuing to develop and expand strategic partnerships in efforts to curb human trafficking and raise awareness about this issue across our State and the entire Southeastern region. We are fortunate to have so many strong partners who are working together to prevent human trafficking in all forms, to hold accountable those individuals who choose to prey on others for their own financial gain, to raise awareness about this critical issue, and to assist and serve victims of these offenses. These grants will be of tremendous assistance to our recipient partners and will help further the important efforts of our entire state-wide anti-trafficking coalition.”
“The Mississippi State Department of Health is incredibly pleased to receive this $900,000 grant. We look forward to expanding and enhancing the accessibility and quality of services that will benefit victims of all forms of human trafficking in Mississippi. It is also a great opportunity to partner with the Mississippi Human Trafficking Council in its effort to prevent these crimes and protect its victims, and to also prosecute perpetrators of this type of crime,” said Heather Wagner, Director of the Office Against Interpersonal Violence for the Mississippi Department of Health.
“The Department of Public Safety is excited to bring these federal funds to Mississippi to aid the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation in formulating official law enforcement-led task forces to fight those who choose to traffic human beings in this state,” said Commissioner Marshall L. Fisher.
The Mississippi State Department of Health received a $900,000 Office of Victims of Crimes grant under the Direct Services to Support Victims of Human Trafficking program, which gives nearly $53 million to 77 organizations to enhance the quality and quantity of services available to victims of all forms of trafficking.
The Mississippi Department of Public Safety received an $800,000 Bureau of Justice Assistance grant for building capacity and operational effectiveness as a core member of collaborative, multidisciplinary human trafficking task forces. BJA awarded 13 total grants totaling nearly $11 million under the Enhanced Collaborative Model to Combat Human Trafficking: Supporting Law Enforcement’s Role.
For a complete list of individual grant programs, award amounts, and jurisdictions that will receive funding, visit: https://ojp.gov/newsroom/pressreleases/2019/ojp-news-10082019_a.pdf
On September 9, 2019, U.S. Attorneys Mike Hurst and Chad Lamar, along with their state partners and other stakeholders, launched the Mississippi Human Trafficking Council, the first-ever, state-wide effort with a mission to prevent trafficking, protect victims, and prosecute criminals using a victim-centered, collaborative, and multi-disciplinary model. The Council is led by three Co-Chairs: (1) Susan Bradley, Assistant U.S. Attorney, Northern District of Mississippi; (2) Kathlyn Van Buskirk, Assistant U.S. Attorney, Southern District of Mississippi; and (3) Ashlee Lucas, Mississippi Human Trafficking Coordinator, Mississippi Department of Public Safety. The Council has a Steering Committee, five subcommittees (Outreach and Public Awareness; Strategic Planning and Trafficking Protocols; Policy and Legislation; Training; and Victim Services), and multiple small, regional law enforcement task forces that investigate and prosecute human trafficking.
The Office of Justice Programs provides federal leadership, grants, training, technical assistance and other resources to improve the nation’s capacity to prevent and reduce crime, assist victims and enhance the rule of law by strengthening the criminal and juvenile justice systems. More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.
Mississippi Return Preparer Pleads Guilty to Filing False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
A Macon, Mississippi, tax return preparer pleaded guilty yesterday to aiding and assisting in the preparation and filing of a false tax return, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst of the Southern District of Mississippi.
According to documents and information provided to the court, from approximately January 2012 through April 2016, Shelleen Ivory-Farmer managed ABS Tax Services, a tax preparation business in Macon, Mississippi. Through the firm, Ivory-Farmer falsified clients’ tax returns by claiming false education credits, itemized deductions, and business and farming losses to fraudulently increase client refunds. The tax loss resulting from the false education credits was more than $870,000 and the total tax loss Ivory-Farmer caused was more than $1.1 million.
Ivory-Farmer faces a statutory maximum sentence of three years in prison, a period of supervised release and monetary penalties. In addition, Ivory-Farmer agreed to pay $236,887 in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Zuckerman and U.S. Attorney Hurst thanked agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, who conducted the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Helen Wall and Trial Attorney William Montague of the Tax Division, who are prosecuting the case.
Additional information about the Tax Division and its enforcement efforts may be found on the division’s website.
Two Kemper County Men Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Armed Robbery of Postal DriverRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – Jerome Rashad Benamon, 26, and Edward James Mobley, 36, both of Kemper County, Mississippi, were sentenced yesterday by Chief U.S. District Judge Daniel P. Jordan, III for armed robbery of a postal carrier, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Adrian Gonzalez, U.S. Postal Inspector in Charge of the Houston Division.
Benamon was sentenced to serve a total of 180 months in federal prison, followed by four years of supervised release. Mobley was sentenced to serve 183 months in federal prison followed by four years of supervised release.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Kemper County Sheriff’s Department and the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation jointly investigated the case over a period of three months. A federal jury convicted Jerome Rashad Benamon, 25, and Edward James Mobley, 35, of armed robbery of a postal driver using a deadly weapon and convicted them of a separate count of discharging a firearm during a federal crime of violence. A third defendant, Khalil Slayton, 26, previously entered a guilty plea to one count of armed robbery of a postal driver. Slayton will be sentenced at a later date.
The evidence presented at trial showed that on April 4, 2016, Benamon, Mobley and Slayton planned and carried out the armed robbery at the Porterville, Mississippi, Post Office. The driver fought back after one of the defendants pointed a pistol at his head, and the firearm was discharged during the ensuing struggle. No one was shot, but the plans of the robbers were disrupted. Money was taken from the driver after the struggle, and the robbers fled in different directions. The response by law enforcement, particularly the Kemper County Sheriff’s department, was immediate. The robbers were identified and charged after a thorough investigation.
Adrian Gonzalez, Inspector in Charge of the Houston Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service stated: “The sentencing of Jerome Benamon Jr. and Edward Mobley for the robbery of the Porterville, MS Post Office on April 4, 2016 is an example of the commitment and tenacity of Postal Inspectors to bring those responsible to justice for robbery and assault of the United States Postal Service and its employees. The protection of United States Postal Service and its employees are two of the highest priorities of the Postal Inspection Service.”
The case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspectors, Kemper County Sheriff’s Department, and Mississippi Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Dave Fulcher and Abe McGlothin.
119 Illegal Aliens Prosecuted for Stealing Identities of Americans, Falsifying Immigration Documents, Fraudulently Claiming to be U.S. Citizens, Other CrimesRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst announced today that 119 illegal aliens have been prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office since the execution of multiple federal criminal and administrative search warrants at seven sites across the State of Mississippi on August 7, 2019. The federal indictments charge the defendants with crimes ranging from misusing social security numbers of American citizens, to fraudulently claiming to be a U.S. Citizen, to falsifying immigration documents, to reentering the United States after having previously been deported or removed.
To date, 47 of the 119 indicted illegal aliens have pled guilty, with a number of others indicating their intent to plead guilty. Of those who have already pled guilty, 26 admitted to fraudulently using the Social Security Number of an American citizen, in violation of 42 U.S.C. § 408(a)(7)(B). The other 21 of these illegal aliens have pled guilty to unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously deported or removed, in violation of 8 U.S.C. § 1326(a). The remaining have been charged with these same crimes, as well as some charged with falsely claiming to be a United States Citizen, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 911, and making false statements in immigration documents, in violated of 18 U.S.C. § 1546.
"Americans have been directly harmed by the theft of their identities, resulting in citizens not being able to get loans or credit cards, obtain health insurance, and perform other basic activities. Every single one of the 680 aliens arrested in August broke our nation’s laws by coming to our country illegally. Turning a blind eye to their illegal acts would not be fair to our nation, their victims, or the millions of naturalized American citizens who waited years and meticulously followed the process by which to become an American. It is our job in the U.S. Attorney’s Office to enforce our federal laws equitably and fairly, and we have done so and will continue to vigorously do so, protecting all Americans and ensuring the national security and sovereignty of our country is upheld," said U.S. Attorney Hurst.
Pearl River County Man Sentenced to Almost 3 Years in Prison for Possession of Firearm by a Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – Kirk Johnson, 43, of Pearl River County, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Sul Ozerden to 33 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Resident Agent-in-Charge Kurt Thielhorn with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) Task Force. Johnson was also ordered to pay a $1500 fine.
On October 18, 2018, in Picayune, Mississippi, Johnson possessed and sold a firearm to a buyer for $80. Johnson was previously convicted of possession of precursor chemicals in Pearl River County, Mississippi, and prohibited from possessing a firearm.
On March 5, 2019, Johnson was charged in a federal criminal indictment with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He pled guilty before Judge Ozerden on June 20, 2019.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Task Force. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Chris Carter and Stan Harris.