Southern District of Mississippi

Gulfport, Miss. – A Mexican national pled guilty to the federal crime of unlawful return of an alien after removal, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca of the Southern District of Mississippi, and Jason E. Schneider, Chief Patrol Agent of the U.S. Border Patrol’s New Orleans Sector.

According to court documents, Arce Manuel Gomez-Salazar, 30, of Mexico, was arrested on July 8, 2022, on U.S. Highway 90, in Harrison County. A State Trooper of the Mississippi Highway Safety Patrol was conducting a vehicle safety checkpoint when he encountered a vehicle driven by Gomez-Salazar.  The Trooper asked Gomez-Salazar for his driver’s license, and neither Gomez-Salazar nor his three passengers had a valid driver’s license. None of the vehicle occupants were citizens of the U.S. and all were determined to be unlawfully present in the U.S.    

Records revealed that Gomez-Salazar had been arrested by the Border Patrol in Texas, in 2018, and ordered removed to his home nation of Mexico by a U.S. Immigration Judge

Gomez-Salazar is scheduled to be sentenced on December 8, 2022 at 1:30 p.m., and faces a maximum penalty of two years in prison, a $250,000 fine and 1 year of Supervised Release.  After completing any sentence of incarceration, he also is subject to Homeland Security proceedings to remove him again from the United States.  A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. 

Gomez-Salazar’s passengers were administratively processed since none of the passengers had been previously removed from the U.S.

The case was investigated by the Mississippi Highway Patrol and the U.S. Border Patrol. 

Assistant U.S. Attorney Stan Harris is the prosecutor for the case.

Gulfport, Miss. – A Mexican national pled guilty to the federal felony offense of unlawful transportation of an illegal alien within the United States, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca, Chief Patrol Agent Jason E. Schneider of the U.S. Border Patrol’s New Orleans Sector, and Special Agent in Charge David L. Denton of Homeland Security Investigations in New Orleans.

According to court documents, Jesus Salgado-Perez, 31, was arrested on June 1, 2022, following a vehicle stop on Interstate 10 in Jackson County by a U.S. Border Patrol Agent assigned to the South Mississippi Metro Enforcement Team (MET).  Salgado-Perez, the driver of the vehicle, did not have a driver’s license and was found, along with his passenger, to be illegally present in the U.S. 

Salgado-Perez will be sentenced on December 14, 2022, and faces a maximum penalty of 5 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and $5,100 in special assessments.  After completing any prison sentence, he also is subject to Department of Homeland Security proceedings to remove him from the United States.  A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The case was investigated by the U.S. Border Patrol, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department. 

The prosecutor for the case is Assistant U.S. Attorney Stan Harris.

JACKSON, MS – A Jackson man pleaded guilty today to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon and Possession of Marijuana with Intent to Distribute.

According to court documents, Gregory L. Randle, 30, on December 3, 2021, fled from a traffic safety checkpoint resulting in a pursuit by the Mississippi Highway Patrol. Law enforcement officers apprehended Randle after a short chase and discovered a firearm and several pounds of marijuana in his vehicle. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives continued the investigation into the firearm and the marijuana.

Randle plead guilty to a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(1) which criminalizes the possession of firearms by convicted felons. Randle also plead guilty to a violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 841(a)(1) which criminalizes the possession of controlled substances, including marijuana, with the intent to distribute. He is scheduled to be sentenced December 13, 2022, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for the firearm charge and a maximum penalty of 5 years in prison for the controlled substances charge. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca of the Southern District of Mississippi; and Special Agent in Charge Kurt H. Thielhorn of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives made the announcement.

The Mississippi Highway Patrol and the ATF investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles W. Kirkham is prosecuting the case.

This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

Jackson, Miss. – A Jackson man was sentenced to 70 months in federal prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Jermicha Fomby of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

According to court documents, Jacques Ramon Brown, 40, was found in possession of a firearm by officers of the Jackson Police Department on July 2, 2021. Brown has several prior felony convictions. As a convicted felon, it is contrary to federal law for Brown to possess a firearm.

Brown pled guilty on May 31, 2022 to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Jackson Police Department investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica S. Terrill prosecuted the case.

This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

Jackson, Miss. – A Jackson man was sentenced to 105 months in federal prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Jermicha Fomby of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

According to court documents, Jarius Isaac Cameron, 29, was found in possession of a firearm by officers of the Jackson Police Department on March 7, 2021, during an investigation into an alleged armed robbery. Cameron has several prior felony convictions. As a convicted felon, it is contrary to federal law for Cameron to possess a firearm.

Cameron pled guilty on May 26, 2022 to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Jackson Police Department investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica S. Terrill prosecuted the case.

This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

Gulfport, Miss. –  An Ocean Springs man was sentenced to 37 months in federal prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Brad L. Byerley of the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”).  

Jeffery Vo, 29, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Gulfport.    

According to court documents, in September of 2021, the DEA received information regarding a possible drug trafficking conspiracy involving Jeffery Vo.  Over the course of the investigation, DEA agents were able to purchase large quantities of MDMA pills from Vo which contained methamphetamine. 

Vo was indicted by a federal grand jury on March 8, 2022.  He pled guilty on May 16, 2022, to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance. 

The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Agency. 

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Erica Rose.

Jackson, Miss. – A Jefferson County felon was found guilty in U.S. District Court following a four-day jury trial of three counts of possession of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, with one count charging 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, one count of possession of a firearm by a previously convicted felon, and one count of possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Kurt Thielhorn of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives made the announcement.

According to court documents, Boris Ward, 49, conducted two controlled sales of a half-ounce of methamphetamine in Jefferson County on June 1st and June 13th, 2018.  After the two controlled sales, the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics and other agencies executed a search warrant at Ward’s residence and recovered 10 firearms and over 540 grams of 100% pure methamphetamine.  Ward was previously convicted of a 2022 felony drug crime in Jefferson County.

Ward will be sentenced on January 11, 2023.  He faces a maximum term of life imprisonment.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, and the Adams County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bert Carraway and Andrew W. Eichner are prosecuting the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

Jackson, Miss. –  Two Rankin County men appeared in federal court today on felony charges of illegally discharging industrial waste into the Jackson Sewer System, conspiracy, and making false statements, announced U.S. Attorney Darren LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Charles Carfagno with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Criminal Investigation Division’s Southeast Area Branch. 

A nine-count federal indictment was unsealed in Jackson on September 2, 2022, charging Thomas W. Douglas, Jr., 61, and John S. Welch, Sr., 64, with carrying out a scheme whereby industrial waste from their company, Gold Coast Commodities, was discharged illegally into the Jackson Sewer System.

The defendants made their initial court appearances today at the Thad Cochran U.S. Courthouse in Jackson.  

The case is set for trial on November 7, 2022, in U.S. District Court in Jackson. If convicted, each defendant faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison on Count 1 of the indictment, three years in prison on each of Counts 2-6 of the indictment, and five years in prison on each of Counts 7-8 as to Douglas and Count 9 as to Welch.

The Environmental Protection Agency is investigating the case. 

Attorney Jeremy Korzenik with the Department of Justice Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Clay B. Baldwin are prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Gulfport, Miss. –   A Biloxi man was sentenced to 48 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Brad L. Byerley of the Drug Enforcement Administration.

Christopher R. Rainey, 33, was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Gulfport.

According to court documents, on February 16, 2022, the D’Iberville Police Department responded to an overdose death.  On February 21, 2022, the Biloxi Police Department responded to another overdose death.  Agents with the DEA initiated an investigation into the death of both victims.  This investigation revealed that Christopher Rainey was the source of supply to both victims. 

On March 21, 2022, officers with Biloxi Police Department observed Rainey traveling southbound on I-110.  Rainey had an active warrant and was pulled over.  During a subsequent inventory of his vehicle, he was found to have multiple baggies of suspected narcotics.  These narcotics were sent to the drug lab where they were tested and confirmed to be 6.78 grams of fentanyl.  Rainey was interviewed after receiving his Miranda rights and he acknowledged that he had been selling heroin and fentanyl for several months.   

Rainey was indicted by a federal grand jury on April 5, 2022.  He pled guilty on June 2, 2022, to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.

The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Agency and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Erica Rose.

Gulfport, Miss. – A Moss Point man was sentenced to 199 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Kurt Thielhorn of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives ("ATF").  

Kevin Lashun Jones, 38, was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Gulfport. 

According to information presented to the Court, between July 22, 2021, and January 7, 2022, law enforcement officers purchased over 280 grams of methamphetamine and 2.7 grams of crack cocaine from Jones and one of his coconspirators.

Jones’s coconspirator was previously sentenced to 211 months in prison for this offense.

The ATF and the South Mississippi Metro Enforcement Team investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Buckner prosecuted the case.

Gulfport, Miss. –   A Moss Point man pled guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Jermicha Fomby of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Michael Terrand Johnson, 40, pled guilty on September 6, 2022, in U.S. District Court in Gulfport.

According to court documents, on June 22, 2022, officers of the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics and the FBI Safe Streets Task Force attempted to serve a warrant at a residence in Jackson County, Mississippi, when they encountered Michael Johnson.  Johnson fled to a bedroom in the home where he stashed a firearm under a bed.  Johnson is a previously convicted felon who is not permitted to possess a firearm.   On July 19, 2022, Johnson was indicted by a federal grand jury for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.  

Johnson will be sentenced on Tuesday, December 6, 2022, at 1:30 p.m.  He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.  A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. 

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Erica Rose.

Jackson, Miss. – A Jackson man pled guilty to two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm and one count of engaging in business as a manufacturer of firearms, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Kurt Thielhorn of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

According to court documents, Kent Edward Newhouse, 41, possessed firearms on or about July 13, 2022 and July 20, 2022, and engaged in the business of manufacturing firearms from April to July 2022.  In April 2022, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives discovered through a confidential informant that Newhouse was using 3D-printers to manufacture auto-sears, which are firearm components designed to cause semi-automatic firearms to function as fully automatic machineguns.  Under federal law, auto-sears are themselves machineguns.  On July 13, 2022, Newhouse sold a confidential informant a firearm and several auto-sears.  On July 20, 2022, a search warrant was executed at Newhouse’s residence, where additional firearms and auto-sears were located.  The government also obtained videos of Newhouse operating fully functional machineguns.  Newhouse was previously convicted of felony sale of controlled substances in Madison County in 2009.

“The United States Attorney’s Office is committed to prosecuting cases such as these and I applaud the investigative efforts of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives,” said U.S. Attorney LaMarca. “Special Agent in Charge Thielhorn and ATF agents throughout the Southern District of Mississippi work tirelessly to enforce gun laws in Mississippi. These efforts help to make the citizens of Mississippi safer every day.”

“The use of 3-D printers to unlawfully manufacture firearms, and to make devices to convert semiautomatic firearms into machine guns, poses a real and current threat to our communities,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Kurt Thielhorn.  “ATF is committed to investigate and seek prosecution of these cases to the fullest extent of the law in order to protect our citizens.”

Newhouse will be sentenced on December 2, 2022, at 9:00 a.m.  He faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine on each count of felon in possession of a firearm; and 10 years and a $250,000 fine for engaging in business as a manufacturer of firearms.  A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Jackson Police Department investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew W. Eichner and Jessica Terrill are prosecuting the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

Jackson, Miss. -  A Newton man was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Kurt Thielhorn of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

According to court documents, William Eric Chapman, 41, was found in possession of a firearm by officers of the Meridian Police Department on January 30, 2020, during an investigation into an alleged assault.  Chapman had a .556 caliber rifle and a sawed-off shotgun in his motel room.  Chapman has several prior felony convictions.  As a convicted felon, it is contrary to federal law for Chapman to possess any firearm.

Chapman pled guilty on May 31, 2022 to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. 

The Meridian Police Department and the ATF investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles W. Kirkham prosecuted the case.

This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

Jackson, Miss. - Darren J. LaMarca, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Mississippi, announced today that Manpreet Kamboj and Gurdev Kamboj (aka David Singh) have agreed to pay $130,000 to resolve allegations that they knowingly falsified income to unlawfully create eligibility for Mississippi Medicaid health care benefits for their dependents.

The Medicaid Program is a state and federally funded health benefit program intended to assist low-income individuals and families. The Mississippi Division of Medicaid (MDOM) is the single state agency responsible for administering health care benefits for eligible, low-income individuals in Mississippi.

Despite Medicaid’s low-income requirement, the United States contends that Manpreet Kamboj and Gurdev Kamboj collectively owned and/or were associated with 48 convenience store/gas stations located in Mississippi and Louisiana.  The Kambojs also own a five-bedroom 7,850 square foot home located in Madison, Mississippi, most recently valued at 1.3 million dollars. 

According to the United States, the Kambojs falsely represented on various Mississippi Medicaid health care benefit applications and renewals that one of them was unemployed and that the household derived income from one convenience store/gas station.  As such, the United States alleges that from August 29, 2011, to February 28, 2022, the Kambojs caused the MDOM to pay over $70,000 in health care coverage benefits to which they were not entitled.  

“The Medicaid Program is intended to provide access to quality health coverage for vulnerable Mississippians,” said U.S. Attorney Darren LaMarca.  “Our office will continue to pursue those individuals who unlawfully deplete valuable resources allocated for Medicaid eligible individuals and families.” 

The False Claims Act claims settled are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.  This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General. 

Jackson, Miss. –  A Jackson man pled guilty and was sentenced today to attempted robbery in violation of the Hobbs Act, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Jermicha Fomby of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Waddah Farah, 42, pled guilty in U.S. District Court in Jackson.  Farah was also sentenced today after waiving any delay in sentencing.  He was ordered to serve 51 months in federal prison and pay a $1500 fine. 

According to court documents, Farah was arrested and indicted for the attempted robbery of a Dollar General store in Jackson on October 1, 2018. 

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Jackson Police Department investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Lynn Murray prosecuted the case.

Hattiesburg, Miss. – A Texas woman was sentenced to 300 months in federal prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Darren LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Brad Byerley of  the Drug Enforcement Administration.   

According to court documents, in July of 2021, Melissa Muniz-Garcia, 45, of Falfurrias, Texas, conspired with another individual to distribute 5 kilograms of methamphetamine to a confidential source in Hattiesburg, Mississippi.  The investigation revealed that Muniz-Garcia had also been involved in smuggling drugs in the Corpus Christi, Texas area.  Muniz-Garcia was indicted by a federal grand jury and pled guilty on May 25, 2022.

In addition to the prison sentence, Muniz-Garcia was ordered to pay a $10,000 fine.  

The case is the result of an extensive investigation, dubbed “Don’t Tell On Me Bro,” which began as an operation targeting illegal drug trafficking in the Hattiesburg, Mississippi area. “Don’t Tell On Me Bro” is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Lamar County Sheriff’s Office, the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, Hattiesburg Police Department, Forrest County Sheriff’s, and Columbia Police Department.  It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Keesha Middleton.

Hattiesburg, Miss. – A Texas man was sentenced to 70 months in federal prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Darren LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Brad Byerley of the Drug Enforcement Administration.   

According to court documents, in July of 2021, Mark Anthony Arellano, 40, of Falfurrias, Texas, conspired with another individual to distribute 5 kilograms of methamphetamine to a confidential source in Hattiesburg, Mississippi.  The investigation revealed that Arellano had also been involved in smuggling drugs in the Corpus Christi, Texas area.  Arellano was indicted by a federal grand jury and pled guilty on May 18, 2022.

In addition to the prison sentence, Arellano was ordered to pay a $3,000 fine.

The case is the result of an extensive investigation, dubbed “Don’t Tell On Me Bro,” which began as an operation targeting illegal drug trafficking in the Hattiesburg, Mississippi area. “Don’t Tell On Me Bro” is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Lamar County Sheriff’s Office, the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, Hattiesburg Police Department, Forrest County Sheriff’s, and Columbia Police Department.  It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Keesha Middleton.

Hattiesburg, Miss. – A Texas man was sentenced to 36 months in federal prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Darren LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Brad Byerley of the Drug Enforcement Administration. 

According to court documents, on December 5, 2020, Jesus Humberto Ferdin, 32, of Laredo, Texas, and a co-defendant traveled to Hattiesburg, Mississippi, to enforce payment of $16,000 for the previously delivered 2 kilograms of methamphetamine.  The co-defendant arrived wearing a bullet proof vest and carrying a stolen firearm. 

In addition to the prison sentence, Ferdin was ordered to pay a $3,000 fine.

The case is the result of an extensive investigation, dubbed “Don’t Tell on Me Bro,” which began as an operation targeting illegal drug trafficking in the Hattiesburg, Mississippi area. “Don’t Tell On Me Bro” is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Lamar County Sheriff’s Office, the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, Hattiesburg Police Department, Forrest County Sheriff’s, and Columbia Police Department.  It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Keesha Middleton.

Jackson, Miss. – A Pearl woman was found guilty by a federal jury on Wednesday, August 24, 2022, of conspiring to falsify business and income records with the intent to obstruct a federal investigation, announced U.S. Attorney Darren LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Brad Byerley of the Drug Enforcement Administration.

According to court documents, in December of 2017, Esther Bennett, 49, and co-defendant, Kristy Dier, were intercepted on communications discussing ways to legitimize drug proceeds seized by law enforcement from Kristy Dier.  Bennett constructed a false ledger, claiming the seized money was from hair care services that were never provided.  After Bennett prepared the ledger, she provided it to Dier, who in turn filed the ledger, along with a Petition to Contest Forfeiture, with the Hinds County Clerk’s office in an attempt to recover the funds.    

Bennett will be sentenced on November 29, 2022.  She faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison.  A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The case is the result of an extensive investigation, dubbed “Drama Queen,” which began as an operation targeting illegal drug trafficking in the central Mississippi area. “Drama Queen” is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Hinds County Sheriff’s Department, and the Richland Police Department.  It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Keesha Middleton and Glenda Haynes.

Gulfport, Miss. – A Jackson County man was sentenced to a total of 180 months in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Jermicha Fomby of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  

Travis Senseney, 39, was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Gulfport.

According to information presented to the Court, in January of 2021, law enforcement officers began investigating Senseney. As part of the investigation, officers obtained and executed search warrants on Senseney’s home in January and August of 2021.  During their January search, officers located narcotics and firearms.  In their subsequent August search, officers again discovered narcotics and another firearm.  In an interview on August 23, 2021, Senseney admitted that he obtained the newly acquired firearm to protect himself while dealing narcotics.  He also admitted that he was not allowed to possess a firearm due to his prior felony convictions.  Senseney was previously convicted of felony burglary and grand larceny. 

The FBI and South Mississippi Metro Enforcement Team investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan Buckner and Annette Williams prosecuted the case.

Jackson, Miss. – The co-owner of Gold Coast Commodities, Inc., who serves as vice president of the Brandon-based fat and oil recycling business, pled guilty today for his part in illegally discharging industrial waste into the Jackson Sewer System, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Charles Carfagno with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Criminal Investigation Division’s Southeast Area Branch. 

During court today, Robert David Douglas, 60, of Flowood, admitted authorizing payments on behalf of Gold Coast for the transportation and disposal of its industrial waste at a commercial entity in Jackson, which as a result of his negligence, caused the waste to be trucked and discharged to a facility which was not a legal discharge point designated by the Jackson Wastewater Treatment System to receive the waste.

Douglas will be sentenced on November 9, 2022 at 2:30 p.m.  A federal judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The case was investigated by the Environmental Protection Agency, Criminal Investigation Division, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Brandon Police Department, and the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality, with cooperation from the City of Brandon and the City of Jackson municipal governments.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Gaines Cleveland.

Gulfport, Miss. – A Mexican citizen pled guilty to the federal felony offense of fraud regarding a visa, permit, or other immigration document.

U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca of the Southern District of Mississippi, Special Agent in Charge David Denton of Homeland Security Investigations in New Orleans, and Special Agent in Charge Jermicha Fomby of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Jackson Field Office made the announcement. 

According to court records, Benito Moreno-Bernal, 30, who had been living in Colorado, was arrested on January 26, 2021, at a residence in Gulfport by members of the FBI Southeast Mississippi Safe Streets Taskforce on a State of Colorado arrest warrant.  The FBI requested assistance from Homeland Security Investigations in Gulfport regarding suspected fraudulent documents that Moreno-Bernal had in his possession.  The documents, both of which were imprinted with Moreno-Bernal’s name, were a purported U.S. Social Security Administration Card and a Permanent Resident Identification Card which also bore Moreno-Bernal’s photograph. 

Further investigation revealed that the number on the Permanent Resident Identification Card was a valid alien registration number assigned to a female, and the number on the Social Security Card belonged to another person other than Moreno-Bernal.  Computerized record queries also revealed that Benito Moreno-Bernal had been previously removed twice from the United States under the alias of Alejandro Moreno-Bernal.

Moreno-Bernal is scheduled to be sentenced on November 30, 2022. He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine.  A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.  Moreno-Bernal also faces Department of Homeland Security removal proceedings to remove him from the United States to his home nation of Mexico. 

The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Harrison County Sheriff’s Department and law enforcement officials in Colorado.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Stan Harris is the prosecutor for the case.                                                                           

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Jackson, Miss. – A Jackson man pled guilty to armed carjacking, announced U.S. Attorney Darren LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Kurt Thielhorn of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

According to court documents, Anthony Lee Holder, 21, carjacked a victim at gunpoint in Jackson on February 7, 2021.  A federal grand jury indicted Holder for armed carjacking on April 14, 2021.  

Holder will be sentenced on December 6, 2022. He faces a maximum penalty of fifteen years in prison and a $250,000 fine. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

This case was investigated by the ATF and the Jackson Police Department.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jessica S. Terrill.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

Jackson, Miss. – A Jackson man was sentenced to 62 months in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Jermicha Fomby of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Jackson Field Office. 

According to court documents, Jemarcus Demon Morgan, 32, possessed a firearm on November 13, 2019.  On that date, officers with the Jackson Police Department responded to a domestic disturbance at Morgan’s home. Officers recovered a .22 caliber rifle under the bed in the master bedroom, that was claimed by Morgan. He had previously been convicted of multiple felony offenses, including possession of controlled substances, simple robbery, and possession of contraband in a correctional facility.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Jackson Police Department investigated the case.

Criminal Chief Erin Chalk and Assistant United States Attorney Adam Stuart prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

Gulfport, Miss.– A Houston, Texas man was sentenced to 132 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute a fentanyl analogue, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Brad L. Byerley of the Drug Enforcement Administration.

Ronald Coleman, 47, was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Gulfport.  

According to information presented to the Court, on September 21, 2021, law enforcement officers conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle traveling East on Interstate 10 in Harrison County. Ronald Coleman was the driver of the vehicle. During the stop, officers discovered marijuana hidden in the trunk of the vehicle. They also discovered suspected heroin hidden in a natural void in the back of the front passenger seat.  Testing at the DEA laboratory revealed that the substances were over 400 grams of marijuana and over 500 grams of a fentanyl analogue.

The DEA and Harrison County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan Buckner and Annette Williams prosecuted the case.

Gulfport, Miss. – A Gulfport man was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Brad L. Byerley of the Drug Enforcement Administration.  

Broderick Demond Kelley, 44, was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Gulfport.

According to information presented to the Court, on March 22, 2022, law enforcement officers conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle that was being driven by Broderick Demond Kelley.  During the stop, officers located user amounts of suspected methamphetamine, synthetic marijuana, and MDMA.  They also located a Rossi .38 caliber revolver.

Kelley was taken into custody and admitted to purchasing the firearm two weeks before the stop.  Kelley was on parole at the time of the stop.  Kelley had two prior felony burglary convictions.

The DEA and Gulfport Police Department investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Buckner prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

Jackson, Miss. – A California man was convicted Friday, August 26, 2022, by a federal jury for his involvement in a conspiracy to traffic over a quarter of a million dollars’ worth of methamphetamine and marijuana into the Natchez, Mississippi area, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Brad Byerley of the Drug Enforcement Administration.

According to court documents, from 2016 through 2018, Arthur Wilson, 57, from Moreno Valley, California, conspired with Wesley Bell of Natchez, MS, Jimmie Lee Swearengen, Jr., of Mesquite, TX, Thomas Jerome Mitchell and Justine Chambers of Victorville, CA, and Kevin Singleton, formerly of Natchez, MS, to traffic kilograms of methamphetamine and marijuana into the Natchez area for distribution and sale.  Wilson was also convicted of conspiracy to commit money laundering for his role in moving more than $345,000 in drug proceeds from Natchez to his drug suppliers in California.

Wilson will be sentenced on November 9, 2022.  He faces a maximum sentence of life in prison and a $10 million fine.  A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

This OCDETF case is the result of an extensive investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force in Atlanta, GA, the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, Adams County Sheriff’s Office, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Mississippi Highway Patrol, and Pearl Police Department.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Carla J. Clark and Clay B. Baldwin.

Gulfport, Miss. – A Mexican man was found guilty of multiple federal felonies related to smuggling illegal aliens.

Abel Michua-Tototzin, 37, was found guilty on August 17, 2022, following a three-day trial before U.S. District Judge Taylor McNeel in Gulfport.  Michua-Tototzin was found guilty of conspiracy to bring one or more aliens into the United States at a place other than a designated port of entry; conspiracy to unlawfully transport aliens within the United States; unlawful transportation of one or more aliens within the United States; and unlawful return of an alien to the United States after deportation or removal.

Michua-Tototzin faces maximum penalties of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for his conspiracy convictions; 5 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and $5,100 in special assessments for his conviction of unlawful transportation; and 2 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for unlawful return after deportation or removal.  After completing any sentence of incarceration, he is subject to Homeland Security proceedings to remove him again from the U.S.  Judge McNeel will determine his sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.  Sentencing is scheduled for November 21, 2022, at 1:30 p.m. in Gulfport.

On April 27, 2022, a Hancock County Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop on a 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe bearing a North Carolina license plate on I-10 eastbound.   The driver, Michua-Totozin, and his four passengers only had identification from Mexico; but, because the U.S. Border Patrol could not respond, Michua-Tototzin was released.  After their release, the Border Patrol determined that Michua-Tototzin and his passengers all had been illegally present in the U.S.

On May 17, 2022, the Border Patrol stopped the same vehicle traveling eastbound on I-10 again and being driven by Michua-Tototzin.  He did not have a driver’s license and was found, along with his six passengers, to be illegally present in the U.S.  The vehicle was overloaded by two persons, with seat belts for only five people. 

U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca, of the Southern District of Mississippi, Jason E. Schneider, Chief Patrol Agent of the U.S. Border Patrol’s New Orleans Sector, and David Denton, Special Agent-in-Charge of U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, in New Orleans, made the announcement. 

U.S. Attorney LaMarca praised the investigative efforts and coordination of the Border Patrol, Homeland Security Investigations and the Hancock County Sheriff’s Department. 

Jackson, Miss. – A third defendant in a Nigerian fraud scheme pled guilty today to conspiracy, announced U.S. Attorney Darren LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge David Denton of Homeland Security Investigations in New Orleans. 

Ruth Ann Charlton, 62, of Franklinton, Louisiana, pled guilty to the conspiracy, joining two other defendants who previously pled guilty to the same conspiracy: Edafe Onoetiyi, 34, of Nigeria but living in Dallas, Texas, and Susan Johns, 54, of Bothwell, Washington.

According to court documents, the defendants conspired with each other and other individuals to defraud American citizens by transferring bank account information, personally identifiable information, and other access devices to create and transfer fraudulent loans and perpetrate other forms of theft, resulting in the fraudulent transfer of hundreds of thousands of dollars both internally within the United States as well as to locations abroad, including Canada and Nigeria.  Many of the victims of the fraud were romance scheme victims, wherein fraudsters concealing their true identities duped innocent victims into either sending money or allowing the fraudsters to use their bank account to move fraudulently obtained money.

The defendants will be sentenced by U.S. District Judge David Bramlette III on November 15, 2022, at 11:00 a.m. at the federal district courthouse in Natchez, Mississippi.

These convictions are the result of a multi-year investigation conducted by Homeland Security Investigations.  The U.S. Department of Justice’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section assisted with preparation of the case. 

Assistant United States Attorneys Erin Chalk and Andrew W. Eichner are prosecuting the case.

Jackson, Miss. – A Jackson man was sentenced to serve one year and one day in prison followed by three years of supervised release and ordered to pay over $402,000 in restitution to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs for perpetrating a wire fraud scheme to steal federal funds, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey Breen with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General. 

Anthony Kelley, 60, of Jackson, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Jackson. 

Kelley owns Trendsetters Barber College in Jackson, Mississippi.  Trendsetters was certified by the VA and Mississippi’s State Approving Agency to offer courses which would be covered by GI Bill benefits for veterans enrolled in the school’s programs.  Beginning at least as early as October 2016 and continuing through March 2019, Kelley offered a Master Barber course that was not an accredited course of study approved by the state’s Board of Barber Examiners.  Kelley fraudulently represented that this course was an approved course of study and as a result was allowed to collect GI Bill money from veterans enrolled in the program.  At least two veterans were enrolled in the Master Barber program using their GI Bill benefits and, as a result, the VA made interstate wire transfers of federal funds to Kelley based on his fraudulent representations.

An information was filed against Kelley on April 22, 2021.  Kelley pled guilty to two counts of wire fraud on May 20, 2021.

The Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General investigated the case.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Andrew W. Eichner.

Hattiesburg, Miss. – A Hattiesburg man was sentenced to 151 months in federal prison and 5 years of supervised release for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Darren LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Brad L. Byerley of the Drug Enforcement Administration.   

According to court documents, in April of 2020, DEA agents intercepted communications of Christopher Roberts, 41, of Hattiesburg, Mississippi, and his co-defendants conspiring to distribute methamphetamine.  This led to the seizure of 3 pounds of 98% pure methamphetamine.    

In addition to the prison sentence, Roberts was ordered to pay a $5,000 fine.

The case is the result of an extensive investigation, dubbed “Don’t Tell On Me Bro,” which began as an operation targeting illegal drug trafficking in the Hattiesburg, Mississippi area. “Don’t Tell On Me Bro” is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Lamar County Sheriff’s Office, the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, Hattiesburg Police Department, Forrest County Sheriff’s Office, and the Columbia Police Department.  It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Keesha Middleton.

Jackson, Miss.  – A Pelham, Alabama woman was sentenced today to 12 months and one day in prison followed by 5 years of supervised release and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $621,411.51 for bank fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Jermicha Fomby of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

According to court documents, Tanya Shelby, 42, owned a car dealership named Tanya Shelby Auto Sales d/b/a Payless Car Sales in Pearl, Mississippi. Shelby negotiated and executed checks drawn on accounts she opened at Mississippi National Federal Credit Union and Citizens National Bank knowing that the accounts had insufficient funds. To inflate the accounts, she deposited checks drawn on other accounts holding insufficient funds.

Additionally, Shelby opened and used lines of credit at NextGear Capital and Citizens National Bank to secure credit for the same three vehicles at each financial institution, knowing that payments would not be made on any of the lines of credit.

Shelby pled guilty on April 7, 2021, to bank fraud. 

The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case.

Criminal Chief Erin Chalk prosecuted the case.

Jackson, Miss.  – A Vicksburg man pleaded guilty today to possession of a firearm as a convicted felon, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Jermicha Fomby of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

According to court documents, Mose Arone Hearron, Jr., 41, was found in possession of a firearm by Vicksburg Police officers and FBI agents on December 4, 2019, during a search of Hearron’s home.

Hearron pled guilty to a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(1) which criminalizes the possession of firearms by convicted felons.  He is scheduled to be sentenced on November 18, 2022, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.  A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Bert Carraway is prosecuting the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

Gulfport, Miss. – A Moss Point man was sentenced to 211 months in federal prison for conspiring to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Kurt Thielhorn of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.

Labaron Mitchell, 38, was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Gulfport.   

According to information presented to the Court, between July 22, 2021, and January 7, 2022, law enforcement officers purchased over 280 grams of methamphetamine and 2.7 grams of crack cocaine from Mitchell and one of his coconspirators.

Mitchell pled guilty on May 17, 2022, to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.  His coconspirator has also pleaded guilty and is awaiting sentencing.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the South Mississippi Metro Enforcement Team investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Buckner prosecuted the case.

Jackson, Miss. – A Jackson man was sentenced to 92 months in prison for carjacking, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Kurt Thielhorn of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.

According to court documents, on August 9, 2019, Xavier Keshun Caldwell 23, of Jackson, used a firearm to forcefully take a car from a victim near Northside Drive and Bailey Avenue in Jackson.

Caldwell entered a plea of guilty to carjacking on April 28, 2022.  As stated in court, Caldwell admitted to using a firearm to forcefully take the victim’s car.

U.S. District Judge Henry T. Wingate sentenced Caldwell to a prison term of 92 months to run consecutively to a 7 year sentence received in Madison County Circuit Court on February 19, 2020, for auto burglary.  Judge Wingate also fined Caldwell $1500, and sentenced him to a term of 36 months supervised release following release from prison.

The case was investigated by the Jackson Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin J. Payne.

Jackson, Miss. – A Meridian man pleaded guilty today to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, announced U.S. Attorney Darren LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Kurt Thielhorn of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

According to court documents, Billy Ray Craven, 54, was found in possession of a firearm in his vehicle by officers of the Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Office on August 6, 2019, during a traffic stop.    

Craven plead guilty to a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(1) which criminalizes the possession of firearms by convicted felons. He is scheduled to be sentenced on November 8, 2022 and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Office and the ATF are investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles W. Kirkham is prosecuting the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

Gulfport, Miss.  -- A Lemon Grove, California man pled guilty to possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Jermicha Fomby of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

According to court documents, on October 8, 2021, Albert Joseph Jones, 31, was stopped by an agent with the South Mississippi Metro Enforcement Team for a traffic violation. Jones was the driver and sole occupant of the vehicle. A K-9 hit on the vehicle for the presence of narcotics. A search of the vehicle produced eighteen (18) heat-sealed packages of cocaine. 

Jones is scheduled to be sentenced on November 16, 2022, at 1:30 p.m., in Gulfport. He faces a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison and a $5,000,000 fine. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and its FBI Task Force, and the South Mississippi Metro Enforcement Team.  It is prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea Jones.

Jackson, Miss. – A Vicksburg man was sentenced to 8 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute marijuana, announced U.S. Attorney Darren LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Todd Damiani of the Office of the Inspector General for the United States Department of Transportation.

According to court documents, John Travis Ross, 34, flew a drone carrying approximately 60 grams of marijuana, lighters, a cell phone, and various cell phone cables over a fence onto the grounds of the Central Mississippi Correctional Facility in Pearl, Mississippi, during the early morning hours of August 6, 2020.  Ross’s actions were captured on surveillance video.  Ross has felony convictions for burglary of a building and sale of methamphetamine.  On April 28, 2022, Ross pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute marijuana. 

“Today’s sentencing demonstrates that using drone technology for illicit distribution of contraband will not be tolerated,” said Todd Damiani, Special Agent-In-Charge, U.S. Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General, Southern Region. “We will pursue and hold accountable those who choose to engage in such unscrupulous and unsafe criminal activity.”

The Mississippi Department of Corrections and the DOT OIG investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles W. Kirkham prosecuted the case.

This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

Jackson, Miss. – A Pearl River woman was sentenced to 24 months in prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine on the Choctaw Indian Reservation, announced U.S. Attorney Darren LaMarca of the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Brad Byerley of the Drug Enforcement Administration.

According to court documents, Winter Kate Lewis 32, of the Pearl River Community of the Choctaw Indian Reservation distributed methamphetamine on the Choctaw Indian Reservation from May 2019 to April of 2020.

A federal grand jury in July of 2021, indicted Lewis in a three-count indictment involving the possession and distribution of methamphetamine on the Choctaw Indian Reservation. On April 28, 2022, Lewis entered a plea of guilty to count one of the indictment charging conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine. As stated in court, Lewis admitted to her role in the conspiracy.

Lewis was sentenced to a prison term of 24 months, plus a fine of $1500, to be followed by a term of 5 years supervised release following release from prison. The sentencing took place in the Thad Cochran United States Courthouse in Jackson, Mississippi.

U.S. Attorney LaMarca commended the work of the members of the Choctaw Police Department of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians, the U.S. Department of Interior Bureau of Indian Affairs, and U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration who investigated the case. 

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin J. Payne and Special Assistant United States Attorney Brian Burns.

Gulfport, Miss. –   A Mobile, Alabama man pled guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and one count of animal crushing, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Kurt Thielhorn of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.  

Richard J. McGuire, 44, pled guilty on August 2, 2022, in U.S. District Court in Gulfport.  

According to court records, on March 29, 2022, Moss Point Police officers responded to an alarm call at Tay’s BBQ/Shell Station located on Highway 63 in Moss Point.  They began searching the area and located McGuire behind another business. McGuire fled when officers approached him.

Moss Point Police K9 “Buddy” was released to track McGuire.  Buddy pursued McGuire into a wooded area when officers heard two gunshots. Buddy returned having been shot in the chest.  Officers later apprehended McGuire who possessed a sawed-off shotgun and body armor, which he is prohibited from possessing as a previously convicted felon. Buddy survived and will return to work soon.

McGuire will be sentenced on November 15, 2022.  He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for possession of a firearm and 7 years for animal crushing. A federal district judge will determine the sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Erica Rose.

Gulfport, Miss.  – Two individuals were convicted in connection with making a false statement to a federal officer, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent-in-Charge Jermicha L. Fomby of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Jackson Field Office. 

Stevie Allen Stoudenmier, Jr., 37, of Hattiesburg, pled guilty to the federal felony of unauthorized possession of an identity document with intent to defraud the United States. Kimberly Ann Hinton, 31, also of Hattiesburg, was sentenced for the related offense of misprision of felony in connection with a material misrepresentation to a National Park Service Law Enforcement Ranger.

According to court documents, on February 4, 2021, a National Park Service Ranger conducted a traffic stop of Stoudenmier in the Gulf Islands National Seashore, Davis Bayou location in Jackson County.  Stoudenmier was driving a vehicle registered to Hinton with Hinton as the front seat passenger.  When Stoudenmier identified himself to the Law Enforcement Ranger, Stoudenmier gave the Ranger the name, Social Security Number, date of birth and other stolen identity information of a man from Picayune, Mississippi.  Hinton then produced the Identification Card of the victim. 

Stoudenmier was issued misdemeanor citations in the name of the victim from Picayune.  Later, the victim contacted the Government after receiving the summons for the citations and notice to appear in federal court in Gulfport.  The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the National Park Service investigated the complaint and Defendant Stoudenmier was identified using official law enforcement “body-cam” video of the traffic stop and “body-cam” video regarding a separate incident with Stoudenmier and Hinton using the same ID card with the Biloxi Police Department. 

Hinton, who previously pled guilty, was sentenced to “time served” (effectively five months and one day), as well as to pay a $1,500 fine and to serve one year of supervised release. 

Stoudenmier is scheduled to be sentenced on November 15, 2022, and faces a maximum sentence of 5 years in federal prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.  A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The case was investigated by the FBI, the National Park Service, and the Biloxi Police Department. 

Assistant U.S. Attorney Stan Harris is the prosecutor for the case.

Jackson, Miss. – A Pearl woman was sentenced to 37 months in prison and ordered to pay over $590,000 in restitution for involuntary manslaughter on the Natchez Trace Parkway, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca.

According to court documents, Jill L. Godbold, 43, was driving while intoxicated on the Natchez Trace Parkway in August of 2019 when she crossed the center line and struck another vehicle head on.  The driver of that vehicle was killed because of injuries sustained in the crash.  The victim was a nurse and mother of two children. 

Godbold pled guilty on September 14, 2021, to involuntary manslaughter.

The case was investigated by the National Park Service.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Clay B. Baldwin prosecuted the case.

Jackson, Miss. – A Meridian man pled guilty today to possession of an unregistered short-barreled shotgun, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Kurt Thielhorn of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

According to court documents, Edward Tyrone Walker, 43, possessed a shotgun which had a barrel of less than 18 inches in length that was not registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record.  Officers of the Meridian Police Department were conducting an unrelated investigation at a convenience store and discovered evidence showing that Walker had possession of a short-barreled shotgun.  Walker was interviewed and admitted to possessing the shotgun.  Further investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) revealed that the short-barreled shotgun was not registered. Federal law requires such weapons to be registered in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record.

Walker pleaded guilty to a violation of Title 26, United States Code, Section 5861(d) which criminalizes the possession of certain firearms unless they are properly registered. He is scheduled to be sentenced on November 9, 2022, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The Meridian Police Department and the ATF are investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles W. Kirkham is prosecuting the case.

This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

Jackson, Miss.  – A Pelahatchie woman was sentenced to the statutory maximum of 120 months in prison for using interstate commerce facilities in the commission of a murder-for-hire, announced United States Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Jermicha Fomby of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Jackson Field Office.

Jessica Leeann Sledge, 40, was sentenced by United States District Judge Carlton W. Reeves today.  The sentence included a fine of $1,000 and a term of three years of supervised release following her release from prison.

Sledge previously pled guilty and admitted that between September of 2021 and November 1, 2021, she used the internet, her cell phone and the “Whatsapp” application to arrange a murder-for-hire.  Unknown to Sledge, the “hitman” she hired via the internet to commit the murder was in fact an FBI Special Agent. On November 1, 2021, Sledge met in Brandon, Mississippi, with the individual she thought was the assassin she had hired in order to provide an additional payment and to provide additional information concerning her intended victim. The intended victim was ultimately unharmed.  Following her arrest, Sledge waived her rights and admitted to her role in the murder-for-hire plot.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  Deputy Criminal Chief Dave Fulcher prosecuted the case. 

Gulfport, Miss. – A Mexican national was sentenced to 18 months in prison for unlawful reentry by an alien removed or deported after conviction of a felony.

Guillermo Ivan Ramirez-Saucedo, 41, of Mexico, pleaded guilty and was convicted of the federal felony offense on April 21, 2022, before U.S. District Judge Taylor B. McNeel in Gulfport.  

 According to court documents, Ramirez-Saucedo was arrested on November 22, 2021, on Interstate 10 eastbound in Hancock County.  Following a “Be On the Lookout” Alert, a U.S. Border Patrol Agent conducted a vehicle stop and identified the driver as Guillermo Ivan Ramirez-Saucedo, who was illegally present in the United States.  Hancock County Sheriff’s deputies assisted in arresting Ramirez-Saucedo, who also was charged in connection with resisting arrest.  The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) provided further investigation of the case in addition to the U.S. Border Patrol and the Hancock County Sheriff’s Department.

At the Gulfport Border Patrol Station, Ramirez-Saucedo’s identity was positively confirmed. Records revealed that in 2008, Ramirez-Saucedo was lawfully removed from the U.S. to his home nation of Mexico.  He was arrested again, convicted of unlawful return after removal, and removed again in 2010 and 2017.  In 2018, he was convicted in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas, for unlawful reentry by a removed alien, followed by his most recent removal from the U.S. in 2020.

Following completion of his prison sentence, Ramirez-Saucedo is subject to Homeland Security proceedings to remove him from the United States.  If Ramirez-Saucedo were to unlawfully return after removal from the U.S. during his three-year term of supervised release, he would be subject to further imprisonment as well as additional prosecution.

U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca of the Southern District of Mississippi, Jason E. Schneider, Chief Patrol Agent of the U.S. Border Patrol’s New Orleans Sector, and Special Agent-in-Charge, Jermicha L. Fomby, of the Federal Bureau of Investigation made the announcement. 

The U.S. Border Patrol, the FBI and the Hancock County Sheriff’s Department investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Stan Harris was the prosecutor for the case.

Jackson, Miss. – A Jackson man was sentenced to 30  months in prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Darren LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Jermicha Fomby with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Jackson Field Office.   

James Lee Simmons, 50, was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison followed by 3 years of supervised release and a $1500 fine.  

According to court documents, on July 6, 2020, a confidential source made prior arrangements with another individual for the purchase of a pound of methamphetamine.  The other individual, who is a codefendant in the case, directed the confidential source to pick up the methamphetamine from Simmons.  The confidential source met with and provided Simmons with $3,000 in exchange for the methamphetamine.  The substance was laboratory tested and confirmed to be methamphetamine hydrocholoride containing 369.4 grams of pure substance. 

The case is the result of an extensive investigation, dubbed “Hailstorm,” which began as an operation targeting illegal drug trafficking in the Jackson, Mississippi area. “Hailstorm” is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Jackson Police Department.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Keesha Middleton.

Jackson, Miss. – On Wednesday, July 27, 2022, a federal jury convicted a Meridian, Mississippi man on two counts of Attempted Witness Tampering.

In June 2018, Daniel Robert was arrested on an outstanding warrant in a narcotics trafficking case that spanned multiple states from 2007 through 2009. Robert was indicted in 2009 and on the run until his capture in June 2018. Soon after his arrest, Robert made numerous phone calls to his family members directing them to tell witnesses not to appear for trial by avoiding subpoenas, to testify that they could not remember facts of the case, or to simply refuse to testify.  Daniel Robert even went so far as to request the preparation of a false affidavit.

In January 2020, Daniel Robert was convicted of his narcotics trafficking charges following a three-day trial. Daniel Robert is currently serving a sentence of 330 months in the custody of the Bureau of Prisons for those narcotics trafficking convictions.

Robert again chose to go to trial and was convicted this week of two counts of witness tampering. He is scheduled to be sentenced on November 3, 2022 for the witness tampering convictions by U.S. District Judge Kristi H. Johnson, and faces a maximum sentence of 20 years and a $250,000 fine for each count.  Those sentences will be imposed in addition to the sentence Daniel Robert received for his narcotics trafficking crimes. 

U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca of the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Jermicha Fomby of the Federal Bureau of Investigation made the announcement.

The FBI investigated the case.

Criminal Chief Erin O. Chalk and Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles W. Kirkham are prosecuting the case.

Jackson, Miss. – A Flora woman was arrested Monday after being indicted by a federal grand jury on criminal charges related to her alleged fraud scheme involving federal COVID-19 Paycheck Protection Program loans, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge James F. Boyersmith of the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General, Miami Field Office.   

According to court documents, Tarshuana Thomas, 34, devised a scheme to obtain PPP funds by filing fraudulent loan applications with entities providing loans as part of the Paycheck Protection Program, including Fountainhead SPF and Capital Plus Financial. Thomas was employed as a Correctional Officer with the Federal Bureau of Prisons, Federal Correctional Complex (FCC) Yazoo City at the time of the alleged conduct.

Thomas is charged with two counts of wire fraud. The case is set for trial on September 12, 2022. If convicted, Thomas faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each count.

The Department of Justice, Office of the Inspector General is investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Purdie is prosecuting the case.

Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.

An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Gulfport, Miss. – A federal jury convicted a Gulfport man yesterday for being an unlawful user of a controlled substance in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Darren LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Brad L. Byerley of the Drug Enforcement Administration.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Patrick Darnell Daniels, Jr., 26, was in possession of a handgun and an assault rifle at a traffic stop in Hancock County, Mississippi, on April 25, 2022.  At the time of the possession, Daniels admitted to being an unlawful user of marijuana.  Additional evidence supported his admission, and such evidence was presented to the jury, who deliberated for under an hour before finding him guilty of the one count indictment. 

Daniels will be sentenced on October 18, 2022, in Gulfport. He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Erica Rose and Jonathan Buckner prosecuted the case.

Hattiesburg, Miss. – A Hattiesburg man was sentenced to the statutory maximum of 120 months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Jermicha Fomby of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Jackson Field Office.  The sentence also included restitution of $6,916.37 and a term of three years of supervised release following his release from confinement.

According to court documents, Harley Cox III, 40, possessed a firearm on or about May 3, 2021.  On that date, Cox discharged the firearm into an occupied residence in Forrest County and then fled.  Forrest County Sheriff’s Office teamed up with Lamar County Sheriff’s Office and eventually located Cox in Lamar County.  When found, Cox was in possession of multiple firearms.  He had previously been convicted of multiple felony offenses, including drug distribution.

Forrest County Sheriff Charlie Sims announced: “We appreciate the assistance of all of our partner agencies in getting a violent offender off of the streets.  Project Safe Neighborhoods allows agencies to share information and collaborate on cases which has greatly assisted us in our efforts to address violent crime in our community.”

The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Forrest County Sheriff’s Office, and Lamar County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew W. Eichner and Shundral Cole prosecuted the case.

This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.