Southern District of Mississippi
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Illegal Alien Felon Previously Removed Three Times Sentenced for Again Unlawfully Reentering the United StatesRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – Valentin Camacho-Alvarez, 27, an illegal alien from Mexico, was sentenced yesterday by United States District Judge Henry T. Wingate to 16 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for illegally reentering the United States after being convicted of a felony and deported, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Scott Sutterfield, Acting Field Office Director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) in New Orleans. The defendant pled guilty before Judge Wingate on March 13, 2019. In sentencing to the defendant to serve 16 months, the Court accepted the recommendation of the United States that the defendant be sentenced to the maximum sentence under the applicable guidelines.
On July 24, 2018, an officer with the U.S. National Park Service conducted a traffic stop on the Natchez Trace Parkway in Ridgeland. The passenger, Camacho-Alvarez, provided the officer with a Mexican voter registration card for identification purposes. He was also in possession of a Mexican driver’s license, which he admitted belonged to him. He advised the officer that he was born in Mexico and his parents are citizens of Mexico. ICE agents were requested to the scene for further assistance. Camacho-Alvarez admitted he is a citizen of Mexico and that he was illegally present in the United States. He also admitted to having previously been deported from the United States. He claims he has been living in Fredericksburg, Texas, for the last three years.
Camacho-Alvarez was convicted of driving while intoxicated with a child passenger, in February 2012, and removed from the United States the following month. He was then convicted of illegally re-entering the United States in June 2013, in Texas federal court. He has been deported from the United States on three prior occasions, in May 2009, March 2012, and October 2013.
The case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration & Customs Enforcement, Enforcement Removal Operations. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kimberly T. Purdie.
Illegal Alien Pleads Guilty to Unlawful Return After RemovalRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – Andres Barrientos-Flores, 33, an illegal alien from El Salvador, pled guilty yesterday before U.S. District Judge Sul Ozerden to unlawful return of an alien after 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.
Barrientos-Flores is scheduled to be sentenced on Thursday, September 5, 2019, at 9:00 a.m., by Judge Ozerden. He faces a potential two years in federal prison followed by one year of supervised release, a $250,000 fine, and Department of Homeland Security removal proceedings.
On March 26, 2019, on Interstate-10, in Jackson County, an agent of the South Mississippi Metro Enforcement Team observed a 2019 white GMC Yukon traveling in the far-left passing lane below the posted speed limit and impeding the flow of traffic. The agent initiated a traffic stop on the SUV, which was bearing Maryland license plates. Later, a U.S. Border Patrol Agent arrived on the scene to assist and made contact with the driver and identified Barrientos-Flores as a passenger in the SUV. Both men were later transported to the U.S. Border Patrol station in Gulfport for further processing and investigation.
Barrientos-Flores was positively identified by a computer scan of his fingerprints into a Homeland Security Database that automatically accessed his official immigration records. He was determined to have unlawfully returned to the United States after having been previously removed on August 24, 2018. He was prohibited from entering, attempting to enter, being in the United States, or applying for admission, for a period of 10 years.
U.S. Attorney Hurst praised the cooperation exhibited by the Department of Homeland Security, the United States Border Patrol, Homeland Security Investigations, the South Mississippi Metro Enforcement Team, and the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant United States Attorney Stan Harris is the prosecutor for the case.
Waynesboro Woman Pleads Guilty to Theft of Government FundsRead the Press Release
Hattiesburg, Miss. – Sadie Bradley, 66, of Waynesboro, pled guilty today before Senior U.S. District Judge Keith Starrett to one count of theft of government funds by fraudulently obtaining Social Security Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefit payments, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Resident Agent in Charge Marvin Mauldin of the Office of Inspector General, Social Security Administration.
From October 2008 through October 2017, Bradley received a total of $197,216.11 in funds belonging to the United States, by receiving Social Security benefits to which she knew she was not entitled. In 1966, Bradley was issued a social security number under the name Sadie McCornell, and began receiving SSI benefit payments in 1974. In 1976, Bradley fraudulently applied for and was issue a second social security number under the name Sadie McConn, later changing her name to Sadie Bradley. In 2008, Bradley applied for and began receiving SSI benefit payments under her second social security number, while still receiving SSI benefit payments under her first social security number. In doing so, Bradley knowingly concealed and misrepresented her identity, income, resources, marital status, and living arrangements to the Social Security Administration in order to receive SSI benefit payments under both social security numbers.
Bradley will be sentenced by Judge Starrett on October 2, 2019, at 9:30 a.m., and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
The case was investigated by the Social Security Administration-Office of Inspector General. It is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Joshua Paul Fortenberry.
New Leadership Announced in Gulfport Branch of United States Attorney’s Office for Southern District of MississippiRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – United States Attorney Mike Hurst announced today that Assistant U.S. Attorney John Meynardie will serve as the new Branch Supervisor of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Gulfport, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Annette Williams will serve as the Deputy Chief of the Narcotics Section for the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The changes come in the wake of the retirement of long-time AUSA and Branch Supervisor Jay Golden, who retired last month after nearly thirty years in the U.S. Attorney’s Gulfport office.
"Our office is incredibly blessed with talented attorneys who are not only leaders in their profession but also in their communities. I am thankful to John and Annette for accepting these new, challenging roles as leaders in our office. They will do an outstanding job leading our Gulfport office and drug prosecution efforts, respectively, and the State of Mississippi will be better for their service," said U.S. Attorney Hurst.
AUSA Meynardie has been with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for 24 years. He began working in the Civil Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Jackson and later transferred to the Criminal Division in Gulfport, where he has prosecuted a multitude of complex cases over the years. He has been the lead prosecutor for drug cases in the Gulfport office for many years and most recently served as the Deputy Chief of the Narcotics Section. Meynardie also created a school education program entitled "Pills, Needles & Designer Drugs" which includes a frank discussion and presentation about the greatest drug threats in our community: opiates and designer drugs. The program has been presented to schools and health care professionals across the state. Meynardie will bring a vast amount of knowledge and experience to his new role as Branch Supervisor. He will be transitioning into other types of cases, including complex white collar crime and public corruption prosecutions.
AUSA Annette Williams will be leading the office’s drug fighting efforts in her new position as Deputy Chief of the Narcotics Section. Williams has been a prosecutor in the Criminal Division for over 12 years and has a wealth of experience in many areas. She has successfully prosecuted numerous types of cases including violent crime, gangs, public corruption, identity theft/document fraud, and racketeering cases. She prosecuted a drug conspiracy case involving violent drug dealers in Jefferson Davis County which resulted in life sentences for three defendants. She has also prosecuted gun runners for violation of export laws, including working with the State Department on Defense Trade Controls violations, and she managed a large international scam/fraud investigation involving 360 email accounts and massive amounts of bank and credit card data. Twenty-one defendants in four countries were indicted in that case. While working at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Williams has conducted multiple trainings for law enforcement on guns, violent crime, immigration, human trafficking, search and seizure, grand jury and immunity. She has also spoken to high school classes, community organizations and educational conferences on relevant federal criminal issues such as guns, identity theft and human trafficking.
The United States Attorney is the chief federal law enforcement officer of the United States within his or her particular jurisdiction. There are 93 United States Attorneys stationed throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands. United States Attorneys are appointed by, and serve at the discretion of, the President of the United States, with advice and consent of the United States Senate. United States Attorneys have three statutory responsibilities: (1) the prosecution of criminal cases brought by the Federal government; (2) the prosecution and defense of civil cases in which the United States is a party; and (3) the collection of debts owed the Federal government which are administratively uncollectible. The Southern District of Mississippi encompasses the lower 45 counties of the State of Mississippi and covers approximately 2 million Mississippians.
Moss Point Man Sentenced to over 12 Years in Federal Prison for Illegal Gun Possession and Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – Kristopher Michael Williams, 33, of Moss Point, was sentenced yesterday by Senior U.S. District Judge Louis Guirola, Jr. to 120 months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm and 151 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Special Agent in Charge Dana Nichols with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). The sentences will run concurrently. Williams was further ordered to pay a $7,500 fine and serve 5 years of supervised release upon completion of his prison sentence.
Williams has a prior 2009 conviction for armed robbery in Jackson County. On November 17, 2017, Moss Point Police officers stopped Williams’s car, where they found marijuana and a .44 caliber pistol. In 2018, the South Mississippi Metro Enforcement Team and the ATF purchased marijuana, methamphetamine, and a gun from Williams during an undercover investigation. Williams sold a total of 54.91 grams of Ice or actual methamphetamine.
The South Mississippi Metro Enforcement Team and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Annette Williams.
Former Mississippi Corrections Officer Charged with Beating InmateRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury indicted Sharalyn McClain, 28, a former Mississippi Department of Corrections officer, for using excessive force against an inmate at the Central Mississippi Correctional Facility. The indictment charges McClain with a felony civil rights offense for her role in the assault of the inmate, and for aiding and abetting others in committing the assault. The indictment also alleges that McClain used a dangerous weapon to commit the assault, which resulted in injury to the inmate.
Today’s indictment was announced by Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband for the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst for the Southern District of Mississippi, and FBI Jackson Acting Special Agent in Charge Luis M. Quesada.
The maximum penalty for the charged civil rights violation is 10 years of imprisonment. An indictment is merely an accusation, and a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Jackson, Mississippi, Field Office. Trial Attorneys Julia Gegenheimer and Cameron Bell of the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Glenda Haynes of Southern District of Mississippi, are prosecuting the case.
Former Mississippi Corrections Officer Charged with Beating InmateRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A federal grand jury indicted Sharalyn McClain, 28, a former Mississippi Department of Corrections officer, for using excessive force against an inmate at the Central Mississippi Correctional Facility. The indictment charges McClain with a felony civil rights offense for her role in the assault of the inmate, and for aiding and abetting others in committing the assault. The indictment also alleges that McClain used a dangerous weapon to commit the assault, which resulted in injury to the inmate.
Today’s indictment was announced by Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband for the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst for the Southern District of Mississippi, and FBI Jackson Acting Special Agent in Charge Luis M. Quesada.
The maximum penalty for the charged civil rights violation is 10 years of imprisonment. An indictment is merely an accusation, and a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Jackson, Mississippi, Field Office. Trial Attorneys Julia Gegenheimer and Cameron Bell of the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Glenda Haynes of Southern District of Mississippi, are prosecuting the case.
Texas Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun ChargeRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – David Diaz Rodriguez, 68, of Edcouch, Texas, was sentenced today by Senior U.S. District Judge Louis Guirola, Jr. to 41 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Special Agent in Charge Dana Nichols with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Rodriguez was further ordered to pay a $3,000 fine.
Rodriguez was convicted in 2006 for possession with intent to distribute cocaine from Kane County, Illinois. He was stopped by the South Mississippi Metro Enforcement Team as he was traveling from Florida back to Texas. On searching his truck, officers found a shotgun and an AK-47 with a fully loaded magazine that had been reported stolen out of Escambia County, Florida.
The South Mississippi Metro Enforcement Team and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Annette Williams.
Seven-Time Convicted Felon Sentenced to over Ten Years in Prison on Federal Gun and Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – Quniton Kinyoun Peairs, 34, of Pascagoula, was sentenced yesterday by Senior U.S. District Judge Louis Guirola, Jr. to 120 months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm, and 123 months for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Special Agent in Charge Dana Nichols with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The sentences will run concurrently. Peairs was also ordered to pay an $8,000 fine and serve 3 years of supervised release following his prison sentence.
Peairs has seven prior felony convictions in Jackson County from 2006 through 2015. Three times during May 2018, Peairs sold methamphetamine, along with a firearm, to a confidential informant for the South Mississippi Metro Enforcement Team and the ATF. On one occasion, Peairs brought another individual with him who sold a shotgun stolen from the Pascagoula Police Department to the confidential informant.
The South Mississippi Metro Enforcement Team and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Annette Williams.
Stone County Man Sentenced to 7 Years in Prison for Possessing a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking CrimeRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – Eddie James Rhodes, 62, of Stone County, Mississippi, was sentenced today by Senior U.S. District Judge Louis Guirola, Jr. to 84 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Special Agent-in-Charge Dana Nichols with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Rhodes pled guilty before Judge Guirola on March 4, 2019.
In February 2013, the Stone County/City of Wiggins Narcotics Task Force received information that Eddie Rhodes and his co-defendant, Stacey Bond, made multiple purchases of pseudoephedrine, in timeframes and quantities indicative of procuring pseudoephedrine as a precursor for manufacturing methamphetamine. Pursuant to a state search warrant, Rhodes’s home was searched, revealing precursor chemicals, equipment and material consistent with manufacture of methamphetamine.
While no methamphetamine was found during the search, pseudoephedrine was found together with other materials and equipment consistent with a methamphetamine lab. The majority of the items were together with firearms and ammunition, located inside a hidden compartment under a trapdoor in the floor. Further investigation revealed that Rhodes and Bond conspired together to make pseudoephedrine purchases later used by Rhodes to manufacture meth, some of which Rhodes would distribute to Bond.
The ATF determined that one of the firearms recovered from Rhodes’s home was a 20-gauge, double barrel shotgun with both barrels sawed off, creating a short-barrel shotgun. The other firearm was a .22 caliber rifle with the stock cut off or removed, creating a ‘pistol grip’ handle. The ATF also verified that Rhodes had multiple felony convictions, making it unlawful for him to possess any firearm or ammunition.
On January 30, 2019, Bond pled guilty to use of a communications facility for the commission of a felony under the Controlled Substances Act (Aiding and Abetting). Bond is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Guirola on July 30, 2019, and faces a maximum penalty of four years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Stone County Sheriff’s Office, Wiggins Police Department, and the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stan Harris and Annette Williams.
Greene County Man Sentenced to over 11 Years in Prison for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – Leondus Garrett a/k/a Benjamin Cash, 31, of McLain, Mississippi, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Sul Ozerden to 136 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, announced U. S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Special Agent in Charge Brad L. Byerley with the Drug Enforcement Administration. Garrett was also ordered to pay a $5,000 fine.
Beginning in June 2017, the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics utilized a confidential informant to buy methamphetamine from Garrett on two separate occasions. On March 8, 2019, Garrett pled guilty to a Criminal Information charging him with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
The Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics and the Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John Meynardie.
Natchez Man Pleads Guilty under Project EJECT to Receiving a Firearm While Under Felony IndictmentRead the Press Release
Natchez, Miss. – Jarvanti Doss, 22, of Natchez, pled guilty yesterday before U.S. District Judge David C. Bramlette, III to receiving a firearm while under a felony indictment, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Dana Nichols, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
On August 25, 2017, Jarvanti Keyon Doss was indicted by an Adams County Grand Jury on felony charges. On March 22, 2019, ATF agents, Adams County deputies, Natchez police officers, and probation agents of the Mississippi Department of Corrections were conducting a "saturation detail" in high-crime areas when Doss was observed by members of the detail removing a pistol from his pants. After a brief foot chase, Doss was apprehended. On April 16, 2019, Doss was charged in a federal indictment with receiving a firearm while under a felony indictment.
Doss will be sentenced by Judge Bramlette on October 1, 2019 and faces a maximum penalty of five 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.
Natchez Man Pleads Guilty under Project EJECT to Possessing a Firearm while under Felony IndictmentRead the Press Release
Natchez, Miss. – Tywone Noble, 23, of Natchez, pled guilty today before Senior U.S. District Judge David C. Bramlette, III to possession of a firearm while under a felony indictment, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Dana Nichols, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
On January 22, 2018, Tywone Noble was indicted by an Adams County Grand Jury on felony charges. While Noble was still under that indictment, on November 19, 2018, probation agents with the Mississippi Department of Corrections were conducting home visits in the area of Beaumont Street and observed four men standing in front of a house. As they approached, the agents observed one of the men, Noble, holding an assault rifle. On April 16, 2019, Noble was charged in a federal indictment with possessing a firearm while under felony indictment.
Noble will be sentenced on October 1, 2019 by Judge Bramlette and faces a maximum penalty of five 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.
Guatemalan Man Sentenced for Unlawful Reentry After RemovalRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – Ramiro Tzul, 27, a citizen of Guatemala, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Louis Guirola, Jr. to “time served” (or 121 days of federal imprisonment), followed by one year of supervised release, for the 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 (HSI) in New Orleans, and Gregory K. Bovino, Chief Patrol Agent of the U.S. Border Patrol’s New Orleans Sector.
Upon release from his federal prison sentence, Tzul will remain in the administrative detention custody of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Immigration & Customs Enforcement. Tzul will face removal proceedings to remove him from the United States back to his home nation of Guatemala. As a result of this felony conviction, if Tzul were to unlawfully return to the U.S., he could face up to ten years in federal prison. Tzul pled guilty before Judge Guirola on March 14, 2019.
On February 5, 2019, on Interstate-10 in Jackson County, Mississippi, a U.S. Border Patrol Agent conducted a traffic stop on a 2005 Honda Odyssey displaying a temporary Texas license plate. The agent requested a driver’s license from the driver, who was identified as Mr. Ricardo Tiul-Cuc, the uncle of Ramiro Tzul. Tiul-Cuc did not have a driver’s license but provided a Guatemalan identification card. The agent also identified two passengers, an adult man who was identified as Ramiro Tzul, and an adult woman, lying down across the back seats.
The three occupants admitted that they were citizens of Guatemala and did not possess the proper documents to be in the United States legally. They were arrested by the Border Patrol and transported to the Gulfport Border Patrol office for processing. Further investigation revealed that both Tiul-Cuc and Tzul had been previously removed from the United States.
Ricardo Tiul-Cuc, also from Guatemala, was prosecuted for the same felony offense of unlawful reentry by an alien after removal. He pled guilty before Judge Sul Ozerden and was sentenced on April 16, 2019 to 3 months in prison followed by one year of supervised release.
“This case highlights that HSI will not allow illegal aliens to travel through a revolving door into the U.S.,” said HSI New Orleans Special Agent in Charge Jere T. Miles. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to protect our legal immigration system and hold those accountable who flagrantly violate those laws.”
U.S. Attorney Hurst praised the teamwork and cooperation exhibited by the Department of Homeland Security, the U.S. Border Patrol, and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Stan Harris was the prosecutor for the case.
Picayune Man Pleads Guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – Nygele McKinney, 34, of Picayune, Mississippi, pled guilty today before U.S. District Judge Sul Ozerden to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Special Agent in Charge Jere T. Miles with Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in New Orleans.
On December 29, 2018, McKinney, working with co-defendant Leonardo Serra, of Texas, accepted the delivery of a load of methamphetamine in Picayune. Serra drove the methamphetamine secreted in a vehicle to a residence in Picayune. HSI Agents executed a search warrant while McKinney was in the process of removing the methamphetamine from the hidden compartment. The methamphetamine was over 5 kilograms and 90% pure.
McKinney will be sentenced on September 4, 2019, by Judge Ozerden. He faces a maximum penalty of life in prison and a $10,000,000 fine.
Leonardo Serra pled guilty on April 16, 2019, to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. He will be sentenced on July 17, 2019, and faces a maximum penalty of life in prison and a $10,000,000 fine.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John Meynardie.
Gulfport Man Pleads Guilty to Drug Conspiracy and Possession of a Firearm by a FelonRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – Anthony Derrick Hayes, 57, of Gulfport, pled guilty yesterday before Senior U.S. District Judge Louis Guirola, Jr. to conspiracy to distribute oxycodone and to being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Special Agent in Charge Brad L. Byerley with the Drug Enforcement Administration.
On November 20, 2018, Hayes was stopped in a vehicle after agents learned that he was on his way to distribute oxycodone painkillers. Hayes refused to exit the vehicle and began fumbling with his waistband. Officers retrieved a pistol from his waistband. Hayes, who has multiple prior felony convictions, was transported to the Harrison County Adult Detention Center and began making a series of phone calls to other individuals to complete oxycodone transfer deals.
On January 25, 2019, Hayes was charged in a federal criminal indictment.
Hayes will be sentenced on August 22, 2019 by Judge Guirola, and faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a $1,250,000 fine.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John Meynardie.
D’Iberville Man Pleads Guilty to Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss – Anh Viet Quach, 42, of D’Iberville, Mississippi, pled guilty yesterday before U.S. District Judge Louis Guirola Jr. to possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Acting Special Agent in Charge Luis M. Quesada with the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
In May, 2016, The Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, working with the FBI Safe Streets Task Force, obtained information that an individual in D’Iberville was selling large quantities of high grade marijuana. Following surveillance, agents approached Quach and obtained a search warrant for his home. They found approximately 42 pounds of high grade marijuana, $7,200 in cash, a currency counter and a Berretta 9mm handgun. Quach admitted receiving 420 pounds of marijuana by mail from California, which he sold for $2800 per pound. Quach has prior felony gang related convictions from California.
Quach will be sentenced by Judge Guirola on August 22, 2019 at 1:30 p.m., and faces a maximum penalty of life in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case. The case is prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Annette Williams.
United States Attorney’s Office to Host Re-entry Services Fair in Jackson Under Project EJECTRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – United States Attorney Mike Hurst announced today that the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi will host a Reentry Services Fair in Jackson under Project EJECT in order to provide vital services, information, and assistance to previously incarcerated individuals who are re-entering society.
The Reentry Services Fair will be held on Wednesday, June 12, 2019, from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Eudora Welty Library, 300 N. State Street, in Jackson.
"In order to fix any issue, you have to have the right tools. Through this Reentry Services Fair, we are empowering individuals with the tools to help them reenter society successfully and become productive, law-abiding members of their communities. Reentry is an integral part of Project EJECT and a vital component to reducing violent crime. I want to personally thank these agencies, non-profits, and volunteers for coming together and helping folks get back on their feet. By working together, we can make our neighborhoods safe and secure for everyone," said U.S. Attorney Hurst.
The goal of the fair is to help previously incarcerated individuals overcome obstacles often faced by those who are trying to re-enter society. Participating agencies will set up booths at the Fair to provide resources in a variety of areas such as assistance with obtaining personal identification documents, housing information, educational assistance, legal information, and guidance for seeking and obtaining employment.
Agencies participating in the Re-entry Services Fair include the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Social Security Administration, Mississippi Department of Public Safety, Mississippi Department of Corrections, U.S. Probation Office, Mississippi Community College Board, Governor’s Job Fair Network of Mississippi, and Mississippi Department of Vital Statistics.
This event 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, reentry 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.
Illegal Alien Pleads Guilty to Unlawful Return After Removal Following Conviction of Illegal Alien SmugglerRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – Catarina Ixquiactap-Morales, 21, an illegal alien from Guatemala, pled guilty today before Senior U.S. District Judge Louis Guirola, Jr., to unlawful return of an alien after 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.
Ixquiactap-Morales’ plea came after the April 30, 2019, guilty plea of Paul Garza, 50, of Texas, for unlawful transportation of an alien within the U.S. Garza, a U.S. citizen living in the Houston, Texas, area, is scheduled to be sentenced on August 1, 2019, by U.S. District Judge Sul Ozerden and faces a potential maximum penalty of 5 years in prison followed by 3 years supervised release, a $250,000 fine, and special assessments that could total $5,100.
Catarina Ixquiactap-Morales is scheduled to be sentenced on August 22, 2019 by Judge Guirola and faces a potential 2 years in prison followed by 1 year of supervised release, a $250,000 fine, and Homeland Security removal proceedings.
On March 22, 2019, a U.S. Border Patrol Agent conducted a traffic stop on a Dodge SUV with Texas license plates around mile marker 40 on Interstate 10 eastbound. Ironically, the same agent had been present when the same vehicle had been previously encountered in September 2018 in Jackson, Mississippi, in an alien smuggling venture. The agent determined that none of the passengers had proper documents and that all were illegally present in the United States.
Catarina Ixquiactap Morales was determined to have unlawfully returned after removal from the United States, and was separately prosecuted for that felony offense. All other illegal alien passengers, except for Ms. Morales, were determined to have been apprehended for the first time in the United States and were placed into administrative proceedings to officially remove them from the United States. Two of the illegal alien passengers were determined to be unaccompanied juveniles.
U.S. Attorney Hurst praised the cooperation exhibited by the Department of Homeland Security, United States Border Patrol, and by Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Stan Harris is the prosecutor for the case.
Illegal Alien Pleads Guilty to Unlawful Reentry by an Alien After RemovalRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – Jose Guadalupe Perez-Velasquez, 29, an illegal alien from Mexico, pled guilty today before Senior U.S. District Judge Louis Guirola, Jr., to unlawful reentry by an alien after removal, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst, and Mr. Trey Lund, Acting Field Office Director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations in New Orleans.
Perez-Velasquez is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Guirola on August 22, 2019 at 1:30 p.m. He faces a potential maximum of 2 years in prison followed by one year of supervised release and a maximum $250,000 fine. He also faces being removed from the United States following the completion of any prison sentence.
On March 25, 2019, the Harrison County Sheriff’s Office notified the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) that Perez-Velasquez had been arrested for the misdemeanor offenses of domestic disturbance of family and false information to law enforcement. Perez-Velasquez also confessed to being an illegal alien from Mexico. He was arrested by an officer with ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations and transported to the Gulfport ICE Office.
Further investigation confirmed that Perez-Velasquez was removed from the United States in 2009. He illegally reentered the United States and was removed again in 2010 after which time he was prohibited from entering, attempting to enter, being in the United States, or applying for admission to the United States for a period of 20 years.
U.S. Attorney Hurst praised the cooperation exhibited by the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration & Customs Enforcement, Enforcement Removal Operations, and the Harrison County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant United States Attorney Stan Harris is the prosecutor for this case.
Illegal Alien Pleads Guilty to Misprision of Felony Regarding Unlawful Transportation of Aliens Within the United StatesRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – Alfonso Tellez-Lopez, 40, an illegal alien from Mexico, pled guilty today before Senior U.S. District Judge Louis Guirola, Jr. to misprision of a felony regarding his brother’s unlawful transportation of aliens within the United States, 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 U.S. Border Patrol’s New Orleans Sector.
Tellez-Lopez, who had been living in South Carolina, will be sentenced by Judge Guirola on August 22, 2019, at 10:00 a.m. He faces a potential maximum penalty of 3 years in prison followed by one year of supervised release and a maximum $250,000 fine. He will also be subject to immigration removal proceedings. “Misprison of a felony” means that a person knew that a felony was being committed and did not report it to officials at the earliest opportunity and took some affirmative action to conceal the crime.
On May 2, 2019, Alfonso Tellez-Lopez’s brother, Javier Tellez-Lopez, pled guilty to conspiracy to unlawfully transport aliens within the United States, and is scheduled to be sentenced on July 31, 2019 by Judge Guirola. Javier Tellez-Lopez faces a potential maximum penalty of 10 years in prison followed by 3 years supervised release, a maximum $250,000 fine and $5,100 in special assessments. He will also be subject to immigration removal proceedings.
On January 28, 2019, an interdiction agent with the South Mississippi Metro Enforcement Team conducted a traffic stop on a GMC Yukon XL with South Carolina license plates around mile marker 62 on interstate I-10 eastbound in Jackson County. The agent observed eight occupants of the vehicle, which was being driven by Javier Tellez-Lopez.
Border Patrol Agents arrived on the scene shortly thereafter, and interviewed the occupants of the vehicle as to their citizenships, determining none had proper documents and all were illegally present in the United States. Of the eight total vehicle occupants (two drivers and six passengers), all were illegal aliens from Mexico. All occupants were arrested and transported to the Border Patrol Station in Gulfport. HSI and Border Patrol agents determined the six passengers were being smuggled within the United States. Further investigation determined that five of the six passengers had unlawfully returned after being formally removed from the United States. Each of these five passengers were separately prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, pled guilty and were convicted of the felony offense of illegal return by an alien after removal.
U.S. Attorney Hurst praised the cooperation exhibited by the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, United States Border Patrol, South Mississippi Metro Enforcement Team, Jackson County Sheriff’s Department and the City of Gautier Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Stan Harris is the prosecutor for the case.
Wife of Former Mississippi Representative Sentenced for Paying Kickbacks to Former Corrections CommissionerRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – Teresa Malone, 58, of Carthage, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Henry T. Wingate to 41 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for paying kickbacks to former Mississippi Department of Corrections (MDOC) Commissioner Christopher Epps, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Special Agent in Charge Christopher Freeze with the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Malone was also ordered to pay $225,000 in restitution.
"Teresa Malone chose money over morals, as her criminal actions reflected selfishness, greed, and a lust for power, all the while harming our state and every Mississippian. Public corruption is corrosive to our society and our very form of government. As such, this office will continue making prosecutions of public corruption a top priority. I want to thank our special agents, law enforcement partners, and prosecutors for bringing these defendants to justice," said U.S. Attorney Hurst.
Malone pled guilty before Judge Wingate in October, 2017, to paying kickbacks to Epps in exchange for receiving a consulting agreement involving the MDOC and its operations. During her guilty plea, Malone admitted to receiving $225,000.00 from a consulting agreement with an out of state contractor arranged by former MDOC Commissioner Epps. Malone received $5,000.00 a month out of which she paid Epps varying amounts from $1,000.00 to $1,750.00 per month. The scheme lasted from October of 2010 through July of 2014.
At today’s sentencing hearing, Judge Wingate stated: "This whole matter has rocked the state and the persons in charge of rehabilitating others have become villains of the same system. Mrs. Malone received $225,000 for little or no work product and this is an extreme offense and there is a need for deterrence."
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by First Assistant United States Attorney Darren LaMarca, Deputy Chief of the Criminal Division Patrick A. Lemon, and Financial Analyst Kim Mitchell.
Long Beach Man Sentenced to Almost Four Years in Prison for Trafficking Counterfeit Prescription DrugsRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – Robert Ashton Kerns, 23, of Long Beach, Mississippi, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Sul Ozerden to 46 months in federal prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and fentanyl analogues, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Special Agent in Charge Brad L. Byerley with the Drug Enforcement Administration.
On April 17, 2018, officers with the Gulfport Police Department were dispatched to a Sonic Drive-In after a report of a man passed out in the driver’s seat of a running vehicle. The man was Kerns and he was in possession of approximately 300 dosage units of oxycodone, an opiate painkiller, and over 1,500 dosage units of Xanax, a benzodiazepene. After lab testing, it was determined that the substances were counterfeit and contained fentanyl and fentanyl analogues, a powerful opiate which is deadly in relatively small amounts.
On June 12, 2018, Kerns was charged in a federal criminal indictment. He pled guilty on March 1, 2019 to one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and fentanyl analogues.
The case was investigated by the Gulfport Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John Meynardie.
Jackson Man Sentenced Under Project EJECT to 18 Months in Prison for Illegally Possessing Stolen FirearmRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – Tommy Robert Spells, also known as Thomas Spell, 32, of Jackson, was sentenced today by U.S. District Carlton W. Reeves to 18 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 and Special Agent in Charge Christopher Freeze with the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Spells was also ordered to pay a $1,000 fine.
On July 24, 2018, Jackson Police officers conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by Spells after he made an illegal U-turn at the intersection of Highway 80 and Robinson Street in Jackson. Spells, a convicted felon, was found to be in possession of a Hi-Point .45 caliber pistol, which was later determined to be stolen. Spells was previously convicted of statutory rape in Hinds County.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Jackson Police Department. 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.
Choctaw Tribal Member Sentenced to 11 Years in Prison for Voluntary ManslaughterRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – Keyshawn Willis, 23, of Conehatta, Mississippi, was sentenced today by Chief United States District Judge Daniel P. Jordan III to 132 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for voluntary manslaughter, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Special Agent in Charge Christopher Freeze with the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Willis was also ordered to pay a $1500 fine.
Willis entered a guilty plea before Judge Jordan on July 6, 2018 to one count of voluntary manslaughter for his role in the death of a Choctaw man. On November 2, 2017, four members of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians assaulted and killed another Tribal member in the Tucker Community.
Willis’ co-defendants, Jerome Steve and Keenan Martin each pled guilty to second degree murder and were sentenced in March 2019. They both received a prison sentence of 45 years followed by five years of supervised release. A fourth defendant, Monte Isaac, died while awaiting sentencing.
The case was prosecuted by Deputy Criminal Chief Patrick Lemon, Assistant United States Attorney Erin Chalk and Special Assistant United States Attorney Kevin Payne. It was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Choctaw Police Department
Carriere Man Sentenced to over 7 Years in Prison for Accessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Mississippi. – Darryl Wayne Griffin, Sr., 55, of Carriere, Mississippi, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Sul Ozerden to 87 months in prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release, for accessing with intent to view visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Christopher Freeze, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Mississippi. Griffin was also ordered to pay a $5,000 fine, $3,000 in restitution, and a $5,000 special assessment under the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act of 2015.
In January 2018, an electronic service provider identified internet protocol uploads by an account user of child sexual abuse imagery. After the images were received by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, the FBI conducted an investigation into the email and user name associated with the account. Thereafter, a federal search warrant was executed at the residence of Darryl Wayne Griffin, Sr. A subsequent forensic examination of Griffin’s cell phone revealed the defendant had accessed with intent to view numerous images of minors, to include those under 12 years of age, engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
On December 12, 2018, Griffin was charged in a federal criminal indictment. He pled guilty before Judge Ozerden on February 26, 2019.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea Jones. It 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.
Mississippi Accountant Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Tax FraudRead the Press Release
A locally prominent certified public accountant (CPA) was sentenced today to five years in prison in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman and United States Attorney Mike Hurst for the Southern District of Mississippi.
“Today’s prison sentence for CPA Nicholson should serve as a reminder that the Department of Justice will prosecute fraudulent tax return preparers, who violate this nation’s tax laws, and that the penalties for such conduct include significant prison time,” stated Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Zuckerman.
“Carl Nicholson abused his position of trust as a CPA and defrauded Mississippians and American taxpayers. This case illustrates that no one is above the law, that our tax laws will be vigorously enforced, and that justice will always be done in the Southern District of Mississippi,” said U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst.
On Feb. 8, 2019, a jury convicted Carl Nicholson of conspiracy to defraud the United States as well as six counts of aiding in the preparation of false tax returns and four counts of filing false tax returns. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, from 2012 to 2014, Nicholson conspired with a client to falsely classify $740,000 of personal payments as business expenses and filed false tax returns on the client’s behalf with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Nicholson was also found guilty of filing his own false personal income tax returns for 2012 through 2015. Specifically, he falsely claimed expenses, failed to report embezzlement income, and under-reported the gain on the sale of his accounting firm Nicholson & Company.
In addition to the term of imprisonment, U.S. District Court Judge Keith Starrett ordered Nicholson to serve three years of supervised release, to pay a $25,000 fine and to pay restitution of $629,432 to the IRS.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Zuckerman and United States Attorney Hurst thanked special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation and investigators with the Mississippi Auditor’s Office, who investigated the case, and Assistant United States Attorney Jay Golden and Trial Attorney Kim Shartar of the Tax Division, who prosecuted the case.
Additional information about the Tax Division and its enforcement efforts may be found on the division’s website.
Mississippi Accountant Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Tax FraudRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A locally prominent certified public accountant (CPA) was sentenced today to five years in prison in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman and United States Attorney Mike Hurst for the Southern District of Mississippi.
“Today’s prison sentence for CPA Nicholson should serve as a reminder that the Department of Justice will prosecute fraudulent tax return preparers, who violate this nation’s tax laws, and that the penalties for such conduct include significant prison time,” stated Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Zuckerman.
“Carl Nicholson abused his position of trust as a CPA and defrauded Mississippians and American taxpayers. This case illustrates that no one is above the law, that our tax laws will be vigorously enforced, and that justice will always be done in the Southern District of Mississippi,” said U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst.
On Feb. 8, 2019, a jury convicted Carl Nicholson of conspiracy to defraud the United States as well as six counts of aiding in the preparation of false tax returns and four counts of filing false tax returns. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, from 2012 to 2014, Nicholson conspired with a client to falsely classify $740,000 of personal payments as business expenses and filed false tax returns on the client’s behalf with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Nicholson was also found guilty of filing his own false personal income tax returns for 2012 through 2015. Specifically, he falsely claimed expenses, failed to report embezzlement income, and under-reported the gain on the sale of his accounting firm Nicholson & Company.
In addition to the term of imprisonment, U.S. District Court Judge Keith Starrett ordered Nicholson to serve three years of supervised release, to pay a $25,000 fine and to pay restitution of $629,432 to the IRS.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Zuckerman and United States Attorney Hurst thanked special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation and investigators with the Mississippi Auditor’s Office, who investigated the case, and Assistant United States Attorney Jay Golden and Trial Attorney Kim Shartar of the Tax Division, who prosecuted the case.
Aberdeen Man Pleads Guilty to Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – Terrence Gunn, 31, of Aberdeen, Mississippi, pled guilty today before U.S. District Judge Henry T. Wingate to possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Special Agent in Charge Brad L. Byerley with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
During an investigation of drug trafficking in central Mississippi, agents discovered that Gunn and another individual had arranged to meet in order to conduct a drug transaction. On June 2, 2018, agents surveilled the meeting between Gunn and that individual. After the meeting, Gunn headed north on Interstate 55. A Madison County Sheriff’s Office deputy attempted to stop Gunn but Gunn fled. Agents observed Gunn throw items from the vehicle as he was fleeing law enforcement officers. Ultimately, law enforcement officers were able to stop Gunn, where they recovered approximately 400 grams of methamphetamine, 40 grams of heroin and some marijuana.
Gunn will be sentenced by Judge Wingate on August 23, 2019, at 9:30 a.m. and he faces a maximum penalty of life in prison and a $10,000,000 fine.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives, the U.S. Marshals Service, Hinds County Sheriff’s Office, Jones County Sheriff’s Department, Richland Police Department, Pearl Police Department, Madison County Sheriff’s Office, and the Jackson Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Chris Wansley.
Walnut Grove Man Sentenced to over Four Years in Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing a GunRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – Matthew J. Underwood, 45, of Walnut Grove, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Carlton Reeves to 55 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 and Special Agent in Charge Dana Nichols with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Underwood was also ordered to pay a $1,000.00 fine.
On August 7, 2018, officers were conducting a residence check of Underwood’s home when they discovered a loaded 12 gauge shotgun and a box of 12 gauge shotgun shells. Underwood has previous convictions in the Southern District of Mississippi for assaulting, resisting, or impeding an officer by use of a firearm and for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Underwood also has a previous conviction in Scott County for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He was on parole for the Scott County conviction when the instant offense occurred.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Sebastopol Police Department, the Mississippi Department of Corrections, and the Leake County Sheriff’s Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kimberly T. Purdie.
Jackson Man Pleads Guilty under Project EJECT to Armed Robbery of a Dollar General StoreRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – Darryl De’Monte Thompson, 30, of Jackson, pled guilty today before U.S. District Judge Carlton Reeves to armed robbery of a Dollar General store in Jackson and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Special Agent in Charge Christopher Freeze with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
On April 6, 2018, Thompson and Jalen Simmons entered the Dollar General on Briarwood Drive in Jackson. Thompson served as the lookout while Simmons entered the store, brandished a gun, and demanded cash from the register. When the cashier was unable to open the register, Simmons robbed customers at gunpoint. Officers with the Jackson Police Department apprehended both suspects as they fled the scene.
On September 29, 2018, Simmons and Thompson were charged in a federal criminal indictment with one count of robbery and one count of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. Simmons pled guilty before Judge Reeves on December 17, 2018. He was sentenced on March 22, 2019 to seven years and one day in prison for his role in the crime.
Thompson will be sentenced by Judge Reeves on August 23, 2019 at 9:00 a.m. He faces a sentence of seven years to life for brandishing the weapon and a maximum sentence of 20 years for the robbery.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Jackson Police Department. It case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kimberly 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.
Former U.S. Postal Service Employee Sentenced for Embezzling MailRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – Latoya Rosell, 34, of Flora, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Carlton W. Reeves to two years of probation for embezzling mail matter during the course of her employment with the U.S. Postal Service, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Special Agent in Charge Chris Cave, U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General, Southern Area Field Office. Rosell was also ordered to pay a $1500 fine and $100 in restitution to one of the victims of her crime.
Rosell was employed as a Rural Carrier Associate at the Ridgeland Post Office in Ridgeland, Mississippi. On August 15, 2018, agents were notified that expected mail matter was not being delivered along Rosell’s route. A subsequent operation run by investigators utilized monitored test pieces to confirm that Rosell was embezzling mail containing gift cards and U.S. currency. When confronted, Rosell admitted she had been embezzling the mail and immediately resigned her position. Agents recovered some, but not all, of the property embezzled by Rosell.
On December 12, 2018, Rosell was charged in a criminal indictment with embezzling mail. She pled guilty before Judge Reeves on February 20, 2019.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Andrew W. Eichner.
Pennsylvania Man Sentenced under Project EJECT to over Four Years in Prison for Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – John Howard Murray, 45, of Erie, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge Daniel P. Jordan III to 57 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Special Agent in Charge Dana Nichols with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco Firearms and Explosives.
On Monday, September 25, 2017, Murray was arrested for burglarizing a residence in Clinton, Mississippi. A search of Murray’s vehicle revealed several items stolen from the residence including a firearm.
On December 3, 2018, Murray was indicted for being a felon in possession of a firearm. He had previous convictions for receiving stolen property and burglary in Pennsylvania, and burglary in Madison County, Mississippi. Murray pled guilty before Judge Jordan on February 15, 2019.
U.S. Attorney Hurst commended the work of the Clinton Police Department and the FBI for their cooperation with ATF agents and Project EJECT task force members. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Erin Chalk and Chet Kirkham are prosecuting the case.
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 for Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – Charles Brown, Jr. 42, of Jackson, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Carlton W. Reeves to 18 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Dana Nichols, Special Agent in Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco Firearms and Explosives. Brown was also ordered to pay a $1,000.00 fine.
On June 25, 2017, Charles Brown, Jr. arrived at the Jackson Police Department with a female identified as T.W. Brown was bringing her to JPD because he believed T.W. had information about a crime that had been committed. Brown is not a member of any law enforcement agency. Brown was seen wearing a bulletproof vest walking towards a 2000 maroon Jeep Grand Cherokee. An officer noticed that the vehicle had police dashboard lights on the front windshield. Officers asked Brown if he had a firearm inside the vehicle and he responded that he did. An inventory of the vehicle was conducted and a Rohm RG38 .38 caliber firearm with serial number 85594 as well as Winchester box that contained 28 rounds of ammunition were found.
On April 4, 2018, an indictment was filed charging Brown with being a felon in possession of a firearm. He had been previously convicted of shooting into an occupied dwelling in 2004, in Hinds County Circuit Court. Brown pled guilty before Judge Reeves on February 5, 2019.
U.S. Attorney Hurst commended the work of the Jackson Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation and their cooperation with ATF agents and Project EJECT task force members. AUSA Erin Chalk is prosecuting the case.
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 12 Months in Prison under Project EJECT for Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – Arthur Lee Harris, Jr., 30, of Jackson, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Carlton W. Reeves to twelve 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 and Special Agent in Charge Christopher Freeze with the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Harris was also ordered to pay a $1,000 fine.
On August 22, 2018, Jackson Police officers stopped the vehicle Harris was driving at an administrative check point. Harris was unable to produce proof of insurance or a driver’s license. He was directed to exit the vehicle and officers observed a pistol in the cup holder of the driver’s door. Harris admitted it was his pistol. Subsequent to a background check, Harris was placed under arrest for being a felon in possession of a firearm. He has a prior felony conviction in Hinds County for statutory rape.
On November 6, 2018, Harris was charged in a federal criminal indictment for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He pled guilty before Judge Reeves on February 15, 2019.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. 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.
Jackson Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison under Project EJECT for Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – Justin Jamal Williams, 29, of Jackson, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge Daniel P. Jordan III to 120 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 Dana Nichols with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Williams was also ordered to pay a $1,500.00 fine.
On March 17, 2018, a Jackson Police officer conducted a traffic stop on a car with no license plate. The officer noticed that Williams, who was sitting in the back seat of the car, had a suspicious bulge in the leg of his pants and he was moving around nervously. When the officer asked Williams to step out of the car, he got out and attempted to push past the officer and run. Williams was immediately taken into custody, and a firearm was found on him. A second firearm belonging to Williams was found inside the vehicle.
Williams has prior felony convictions in Hinds County for burglary of a dwelling, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, and possession of marijuana.
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 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 GunRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – Ryan Storm Irwin, 26, of Jackson, pled guilty today before U.S. District Judge Carlton W. Reeves to being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Special Agent in Charge Dana Nichols with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
On February 18, 2018, agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were conducting a follow-up investigation on Ryan Storm Irwin who had been a passenger in a stolen vehicle stopped by the Jackson Police Department on January 24, 2018. They went to a residence in Jackson where they encountered Irwin sitting alone in the driver’s position in a vehicle. A Savage, Model 940A, 16-gauge shotgun with no serial number was wedged between the driver’s seat and the console. Irwin has a previous conviction for grand larceny in Rankin County and it is illegal for him to possess a firearm.
Irwin will be sentenced by Judge Reeves on August 20, 2019 at 9:00 a.m. 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 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.
Violent Felon Pleads Guilty Under Project EJECT to Robbery and ShootingRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – Joshua Johnson, 25, of Jackson, pled guilty today before Senior U.S. District Judge Tom S. Lee to robbing a local business, brandishing a firearm during the commission of a violent crime, and being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Special Agent in Charge Christopher Freeze with the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
On November 21, 2018, around 3:00 a.m., officers with Jackson Police Department responded to an armed robbery at the Exxon Service Station at 4611 I-55 North in Jackson. Witnesses reported that a gunman, later identified as Joshua Johnson, entered the business, pointed a gun at the business clerks, and exited with approximately $374 in cash from the cash drawers and a customer. Johnson was apprehended by Jackson police officers a short time later.
Johnson will be sentenced on September 12, 2019, before Judge Lee and faces a maximum penalty of life in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The case was investigated by the Jackson Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Candace Mayberry.
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 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 our 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..
Minnesota Man with Multiple Prior Felony Convictions Pleads Guilty under Project EJECT to Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – Bobby Joseph Stallworth, 59, of Minneapolis, Minnesota, entered a guilty plea today before Senior U.S. District Judge David C. Bramlette III to being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Special Agent in Charge Christopher Freeze with the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Stallworth had been previously convicted of approximately twenty felony offenses out of Escambia County, Florida over the past thirty years, most of which involved theft or forgery. On October 9, 2017, Stallworth was found in possession of a firearm in Jackson after law enforcement intervened in a domestic dispute with his then-girlfriend.
Stallworth was indicted for this offense on April 3, 2019. He will be sentenced by Judge Bramlette on August 22, 2019, at 11:00 a.m., and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
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.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Jackson Police Department investigated the case. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Andrew W. Eichner.
Jackson Man Sentenced to 9 Years in Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing a Firearm as Prior Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – Rodrecas Tims, 33, of Jackson, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Henry T. Wingate to 108 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 Dana Nichols with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Tims was also ordered to pay a $1,500 fine.
On November 1, 2018, Jackson Police officers approached Tims as he was walking away from his car in a Jackson parking lot after the officers smelled, and observed in plain view, marijuana rolled into a “cigar” in an ashtray. Tims was found to have two pistols concealed in this waistband of his pants. One of the pistols was stolen. Tims was previously convicted of armed robbery in 2000 and again in 2005, and unlawfully possessing a firearm in 2005.
On November 27, 2018, Tims was charged in a federal indictment with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He pled guilty before Judge Wingate on February 14, 2019.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Bert Carraway.
Jackson Man Pleads Guilty Under Project EJECT to Illegally Possessing a GunRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – Mackee Donell Jefferson, 37, of Jackson, pled guilty today before Senior U.S. District Court Judge Tom S. Lee to being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Special Agent in Charge Christopher Freeze with the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Mississippi.
On September 14, 2018, Jefferson was waiting in line at a fast food restaurant in Jackson. He became irritated at the long wait in the drive-thru line and approached the drive-thru window. He then produced a black handgun and tapped on the drive-thru window, in an apparent attempt to accelerate his fast food service. A restaurant employee called the Jackson Police Department and officers responded. The officers questioned Jefferson and he admitted to possessing a gun. Jefferson has prior felony convictions for auto burglary in Rankin County and auto theft in Hinds County.
Mackee is currently in custody and will be sentenced by Judge Lee on August 15, 2019 at 9:00 a.m. He faces a maximum penalty of ten years in prison and a $250,000.00 fine.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It 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.
Recently Released Felon Arrested for Drunk Driving Sentenced to 18 Months for Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – Christopher Campbell, 30, of Jackson, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Carlton W. Reeves to 18 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 and Special Agent in Charge Dana K. Nichols with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
On September 28, 2018, Campbell was found in possession of a firearm after he was stopped by officers for driving under the influence. Campbell was previously convicted of felonious house burglary in Hinds County and was sentenced to serve twenty five years in the custody of Mississippi Department of Corrections (MDOC) with eight of those years suspended. Campbell was released from MDOC less than one year before being arrested for the current charge.
On December 12, 2018, Campbell was charged in a criminal indictment. He pled guilty before Judge Reeves on February 13, 2019.
This case is part of Project EJECT, a nationally-recognized 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.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Jackson Police Department investigated the case. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Andrew W. Eichner.
Forrest County Man Sentenced to over 10 Years in Federal Prison for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – Samuel Lee Smith, 40, of Hattiesburg, was sentenced yesterday by Senior U.S. District Judge Keith Starrett to 130 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Special Agent in Charge Dana Nichols with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Smith was also ordered to pay a $5,000 fine.
In January and February 2017, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives made three undercover purchases of highly pure methamphetamine or "ice" from Smith in Hattiesburg. In total, Smith sold 135.76 grams of pure methamphetamine to an informant. Smith has three prior felonies and was on state parole at the time of the offense.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Annette Williams.
Clinton Man Sentenced to over 12 Years in Federal Prison Under Project EJECT for Carjacking and Discharging a Firearm During the CrimeRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – Darrell D. Moore, 22, of Clinton, was sentenced Monday by Chief U.S. District Judge Daniel P. Jordan III to 153 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for carjacking and brandishing a firearm during the commission of a violent crime, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Special Agent in Charge Christopher Freeze with the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Moore was also ordered to pay $2,000 in restitution to the victim.
"This is great example of our office and law enforcement partners taking another violent criminal off the streets of Jackson. Our partnerships under Project EJECT continue to make a positive difference and are making our communities, neighborhoods and families safer. I commend our Jackson police officers, FBI special agents, and prosecutors for bringing this individual to justice and for bringing justice to the victim in this case," said U.S. Attorney Hurst.
On November 7, 2017, while Moore was on bond for murder in Hinds County, Moore, Alexus Guster, and Cedric Winfield agreed to rob and carjack a victim at gunpoint. At the instruction of Moore and Winfield, Guster lured the victim to a 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 and 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.
Moore pled guilty before Judge Barbour on November 13, 2018. Winfield pled guilty on October 16, 2018, and is awaiting sentencing. He faces a maximum penalty of fifteen years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Guster pled guilty on January 23, 2019, and was sentenced to time served and a $1,000 fine.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Jackson Police Department. It is being 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 bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities 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 our 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.
Choctaw Man Sentenced to 7 Months for Burglarizing Procurement OfficeRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – Shelton Shane Chapman, Jr., 20, of Leake County, and a member of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Carlton Reeves to 7 months in federal prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for burglary within the Pearl River Community of the Choctaw Indian reservation, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and FBI Special Agent in Charge Christopher Freeze. Chapman was ordered to pay $4,334.43 in restitution to the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians.
On November 7, 2017, Chapman entered the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians’ Procurement Office and stole a Dell bag and several iPhones and iPads. Chapman sold some of the items to two individuals who then pawned the items at a local pawn shop.
Chapman pled guilty on February 13, 2019, before Judge Reeves, after being indicted by a federal grand jury on November 27, 2018. Prior to being taken into federal custody, Chapman was serving a 7 year sentence in the custody of the Mississippi Department of Corrections burglarizing a business in Neshoba County.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Choctaw Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kimberly Purdie.
Purvis Man Sentenced to 10 Months for Sending ObsceneMaterial to a MinorRead the Press Release
Hattiesburg, Miss. – Mark Randy Magee, 61, of Purvis, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Keith Starrett to 10 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for transferring obscene materials to a minor under the age of 16, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst, Special Agent in Charge Christopher Freeze with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood. Magee was also ordered to pay $28,000 in restitution to the victim and register as a sex offender.
On January 15, 2016, a woman reported to the Salem Police Department in Salem, Illinois, that her 14 year-old daughter had received graphic, sexually explicit, videos on the child’s iPad from a man named "Randy M." During the online "chats", the man said he was 48 years old and lived in Mississippi.
Further investigation led FBI agents to Mark Randy Magee in Purvis, Mississippi.A search warrant was executed on Magee’s home and electronic devices were seized that confirmed the online "chats" and sexually explicit videos sent to the child in Illinois.
On September 7, 2018, Magee was charged in a federal indictment with transferring obscene materials to a minor under the age of 16. He pled guilty before Judge Starrett on January 31, 2019. Magee has a prior felony conviction for attempting to meet with a minor in Ohio for unlawful sexual contact.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office jointly investigated the case. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Glenda R. Haynes.
The 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.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Recognizes Men and Women in Law Enforcement During National Police WeekRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst recognized the service and sacrifice of federal, state, local, and tribal police officers on the occasion of National Police Week, which is being observed Sunday, May 12 to Saturday, May 18, 2019.
In October 1962, Congress enacted a joint resolution, which the President signed, declaring May 15th as National Peace Officers Memorial Day to honor law enforcement officers killed or disabled in the line of duty. The resolution also created National Police Week as an annual tribute to law enforcement service and sacrifice.
"This week, we pause to honor and remember our men and women in law enforcement who keep our citizens and our communities safe. Their work is not just a job but more importantly a calling – to serve their fellow man, to protect the vulnerable, and to uphold the law. Some have even given their lives so that we may be safe. While we can never fully repay them for their sacrifice, we will always honor, remember and respect them for their service. This week, let us all do our part in showing our law enforcement our unwavering support and appreciation," said U.S. Attorney Hurst.
U.S. Attorney Hurst will be the keynote speaker for the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks Fallen Officer Memorial Service on Wednesday, May 15th at the MDWFP Headquarters in Jackson.
The 9th annual Fallen Officers’ Candlelight Vigil, sponsored by the Mississippi Association of Chiefs of Police, will be held on Wednesday, May 16th, at 6:30 p.m., to honor our fallen heroes. The Vigil will take place at the State Capitol Mall between the Sillers and Gartin Justice Buildings on High Street in Jackson.
The U.S. Attorney’s National Police Week Fun Run will take place on Thursday, May 16, at 6:00 p.m. The public is invited to join us for a 3-mile Fun Run/Walk which will begin and end at Buffalo Wild Wings in Flowood.
For more information about other National Police Week events, please visit www.policeweek.org.
Jackson Man Sentenced Under Project EJECT to over 7 Years in Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – Courtney Kentrell Chapman, 30, of Jackson, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Henry T. Wingate to 90 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 and Special Agent in Charge Dana K. Nichols with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Chapman had previously been convicted of multiple felonies in Hinds County, including being an accessory after the fact to carjacking, felony eluding, and possession of a controlled substance while armed. On August 15, 2018, he was in possession of a firearm during an administrative checkpoint in Jackson.
Chapman was charged in a federal criminal indictment on December 12, 2018. He pled guilty on February 12, 2019, before Judge Wingate.
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 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.
Philadelphia Man Sentenced to over 23 Years in Federal Prison for Methamphetamine Trafficking and Gun PossessionRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – Dijon Jamese Seales, 28, of Philadelphia, Mississippi, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge Daniel P. Jordan III to serve a total of 285 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute five grams or more of methamphetamine and possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Jere T. Miles, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations in New Orleans. Seales was also ordered to pay a $1,500 fine.
On January 22, 2018, members of the U.S. Marshals Gulf Coast Regional Fugitive Task Force arrested Seales pursuant to an arrest warrant issued out of the Northern District of Texas for violating pretrial release conditions in an unrelated case. While executing the arrest warrant, task force members found 16.9 grams of methamphetamine on Seales intended for distribution. Additionally, in furtherance of his drug trafficking offense, Seales was found in possession of a Glock 43 pistol and a Ruger AR-556 rifle with an assortment of gun accessories, including a bump stock.
On March 7, 2018, Seales was charged in a criminal indictment with possession with intent to distribute five grams or more of methamphetamine and possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. He pled guilty before Judge Jordan on February 8, 2019.
This Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force ("OCDETF") case is a result of a joint investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics. Assisting agencies included the United States Marshal’s Service, Gulf Coast Regional Fugitive Task Force, Philadelphia Police Department, Neshoba County Sheriff’s Department, Neshoba County District Attorney’s Office, Scott County Sheriff’s Office, Flowood Police Department, Rankin County Sheriff’s Department, Hinds County Sheriff’s Department, Carthage Police Department, Union Police Department, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Louisville Police Department, and the Mississippi Highway Patrol.
The OCDETF program is a joint federal, state and local cooperative approach to combat drug trafficking and is the nation’s primary tool for disrupting and dismantling major drug trafficking organizations, targeting national and regional level drug trafficking organizations, and coordinating the necessary law enforcement entities and resources to disrupt or dismantle the targeted criminal organization and seize their assets.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Erin Chalk and Drew Eichner prosecuted the case.
Three Illegal Aliens Plead Guilty to Unlawful Reentry after RemovalRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – Lucas Ramirez-Hernandez, 28, an illegal alien from Guatemala, Jose Valdez-Santana, 36, an illegal alien from Mexico, and Angel Martinez-Garcia, 19, an illegal alien from Mexico, pled guilty today before Senior U.S. District Judge Louis Guirola, Jr. to unlawful reentry by an alien after 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 U.S. Border Patrol’s New Orleans Sector.
The defendants will be sentenced by Judge Guirola, on August 20, 2019, at 1:30 p.m. They each face a potential maximum penalty of 2 years in prison followed by one year of supervised release, and a maximum $250,000 fine. They also face being removed from the United States following the completion of any prison sentence.
On April 4, 2019, a Biloxi police officer conducted a traffic stop on a Dodge Caravan minivan on Interstate 10 east bound. The driver of the vehicle was later identified as an illegal alien from Honduras. The officer observed seven passengers – five males and two females. Since the officer did not speak Spanish, he contacted the Department of Homeland Security’s Blue Lightning Operations Center, and two Homeland Security Investigations Special Agents responded to the traffic stop. All eight occupants of the vehicle were determined to be illegally present in the U.S. and were transported to the U.S. Border Patrol office in Gulfport for further processing. After interviewing the occupants, it was determined that they were being smuggled from Houston, Texas, to Maryland.
Further investigation revealed that three of the passengers (Ramirez-Hernandez, Valdez-Santana and Martinez-Garcia) were aliens who had unlawfully returned after being removed from the United States. Ramirez-Hernandez was previously removed from the United States on January 29, 2019. Martinez-Garcia was previously removed on October 13, 2015 and again on December 13, 2018. Valdez-Santana was previously removed on April 26, 2017.
U.S. Attorney Hurst praised the teamwork and cooperation exhibited by the Biloxi Police Department, the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration & Customs Enforcement, Customs and Border Protection, the U.S. Border Patrol, and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Stan Harris is the prosecutor for the case.