Southern District of Mississippi

Jackson, Miss – A Natchez man was sentenced today to 18 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, announced Acting United States Attorney Darren LaMarca and Kurt Thielhorn, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

According to court documents, Albert Burnell Chatman, 26, possessed a firearm in his truck when he reported to his probation officer.  Chatman had previously been convicted of house burglary and was sentenced to 7 years in the custody of the Mississippi Department of Corrections, but those 7 years were suspended, and Chatman was ordered to supervised probation.

Chatman was charged in a federal criminal indictment with possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.  He pled guilty on April 29, 2021.

The Mississippi Department of Corrections, Natchez Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Bert Carraway 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 Meridian man was sentenced today to 27 months in prison for being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Darren LaMarca and Kurt Thielhorn, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

According to court documents, James T. Britain, 51, failed to stop at a traffic safety checkpoint on July 5, 2019.  The Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Office conducted the traffic safety checkpoint and pursued Britain after he refused to stop.  Britain led the police on a chase before stopping.  After Britain was arrested, he admitted to a Sheriff’s Deputy that there was a firearm in his vehicle and that he was a convicted felon.  As a convicted felon, it is contrary to federal law for Britain to possess any firearm.

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

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bert Carraway and 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.

Gulfport – A Monroe, Louisiana man pleaded guilty today to engaging in a multi-million dollar conspiracy to pay illegal health care kickbacks and conspiracy to defraud the United States, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca, Acting Special Agent in Charge Paul Brown with the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Mississippi, and Special Agent in Charge Cynthia A. Bruce of the DoD OIG, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) Southeast Field Office.

According to court documents, Thomas “Tommy” Wilburn Shoemaker, 57, admitted that he participated in a scheme to defraud TRICARE and other health care benefit programs by acting as a marketer for World Health Industries, Inc. (“WHI”), a pharmacy specializing in the production of compounded medications.  Shoemaker acknowledged that he allowed WHI to use his TRICARE insurance to adjust prescription formulas to ensure the highest reimbursement without regard to efficacy, and he recruited doctors to procure prescriptions for high margin compounded medications.  Furthermore, as a marketer, Shoemaker admitted to obtaining numerous fraudulent prescriptions using personal information of military acquaintances.  Through his company, he received over $300,000 in commissions for the prescriptions that were reimbursed by TRICARE, and in total, he received at least $672,538.19 in proceeds that were derived directly from the fraud scheme. 

Shoemaker is scheduled to be sentenced on November 30, 2021, and faces a maximum penalty of 5 years in prison. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Defense Criminal Investigative Service are investigating the case.

Trial Attorneys Emily Cohen and Alejandra Arias of the DOJ Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathlyn Van Buskirk of the Southern District of Mississippi are prosecuting the case with assistance from Sara Porter and Dustin Davis from the DOJ Criminal Division’s Fraud Section.

Jackson, Miss. –  A Jackson man pled guilty to possessing firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Paul Brown, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Mississippi.

According to court documents, on January 24, 2020, agents with the FBI, Jackson Police Department and Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics executed a search warrant at a Jackson residence, and Javarius Jones, 20, was taken into custody during the execution of the warrant.  Several hundred grams of marijuana, multiple firearms, ammunition, and United States currency was seized from the residence.  Jones admitted during a recorded interview that he regularly sold marijuana and that he possessed multiple firearms for protection.   

Jones will be sentenced on December 2, 2021, and faces a minimum penalty of five years in prison and a maximum of life. 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.  It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Charles W. Kirkham.

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. – A Gulfport man pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Brad L. Byerley, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”).

According to court documents and proceedings, on March 16, 2021, law enforcement officers conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle being driven by Joshua Taylor, 23, in Gulfport. During the stop, officers found heroin, methamphetamine, other drugs, and, in the center console of the vehicle, a  Glock 19, 9mm handgun, loaded with 16 rounds of ammunition. Pursuant to a search warrant, officers subsequently conducted a search of Taylor’s residence where they discovered additional controlled substances.

A drug analysis indicates that Taylor possessed heroin, fentanyl, and more than 50 grams of methamphetamine.

Taylor pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine.  He also pleaded guilty to knowingly possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. 

Taylor is scheduled to be sentenced on November 18, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. He faces a minimum sentence of 5 years in prison and a maximum of 40 years in prison for the methamphetamine charge.  For possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, he faces a minimum of 5 years in prison and a maximum of life, which must be served consecutively to the sentence on the methamphetamine charge.  A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Harrison County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Buckner 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.

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Hattiesburg, Miss. – A Columbia, Mississippi woman pled guilty in U.S. District Court to one count of health care fraud.

According to court documents, beginning in 2016 and continuing for well over two years, Joy Beth Harden, 51, executed a scheme to defraud Medicare and other health care benefit programs.  Specifically, Harden submitted fraudulent bills for durable medical equipment on behalf of her business, BZB LLC doing business as Duracare Home Medical Equipment in the Hattiesburg area.  As a result, Medicare and other benefits programs paid Harden for durable medical equipment that was never prescribed for patients and for medical equipment that was never delivered to the patients.

Harden pled guilty on Tuesday, August 10, 2021. She will be sentenced on November 23, 2021, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal 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.  Harden remains in federal custody awaiting sentencing.

The announcement was made by Acting U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca, Acting Special Agent in Charge Paul W. Brown of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Mississippi, Special Agent in Charge Derrick L. Jackson of U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS OIG) Atlanta Regional Office, Special Agent in Charge Cynthia A. Bruce of the DoD OIG, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) Southeast Field Office, and Inspector General Martin J. Dickman of  U.S. Railroad Retirement Board, Office of Inspector General (RRB OIG).

The case was prosecuted by Deputy Criminal Chief Dave Fulcher.

Gulfport, Mississippi – A Jackson County man pleaded guilty to possession of a short-barreled shotgun in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Kurt Thielhorn, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.

According to court documents, on November 18, 2020, Shawn Wayne Ethridge, 37, of Jackson County, sold methamphetamine and a short-barreled shotgun to an individual in Jackson County. 

Ethridge is scheduled to be sentenced on November 4, 2021. He faces a minimum sentence of 10 years imprisonment and a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.  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 investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Buckner is prosecuting the case.

Jackson, Miss. – Two Mississippi men and a Louisiana man pled guilty today to their roles in a drug trafficking conspiracy, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Brad Byerley, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).  

Chey Johnson, 48, of Terry, pled guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine; Alton Monroe, 43, of Jackson, pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine; and Dwight Powell, 53, of New Orleans, pled guilty to use of a communication facility to facilitate a controlled substance offense.

According to court documents, from January 2017 to December 2017, DEA agents carried out an extensive investigation into drug traffickers in central Mississippi.  The investigation resulted in the indictment of multiple defendants and the seizure of approximately $585,000 in U.S. currency and 12 kilograms of cocaine. 

This Operation, dubbed “Deadly Dose” 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.

All three defendants will be sentenced on November 9, 2021 in Jackson.  Johnson faces a maximum penalty of life in prison and a $10,000,000 fine; Monroe faces a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison and a $5,000,000 fine; and Powell faces a maximum penalty of 48 months 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 Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Hinds County Sheriff’s Office, the Jackson Police Department, the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, and the Internal Revenue Service.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Chris Wansley and Keesha Middleton.

Jackson, Miss.  – A Meridian woman was sentenced today to 24 months in prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Acting Special Agent in Charge Paul Brown with the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Mississippi. 

According to court documents, Mia Francine Sims, 54, sold narcotics to individuals on several occasions from her Meridian residence over a period of months, beginning in July of 2019.   A joint team of Meridian Police officers and FBI agents conducted a search warrant on the residence and discovered a handgun, along with relatively small amounts of cocaine and methamphetamine.  Though Sims was not home at the time of the search, witnesses confirmed that Sims was the only resident of the home.  Further investigation revealed that Sims had two prior felony drug convictions and is prohibited from possessing a firearm.

Sims was indicted for being a felon in possession of a firearm.  She pled guilty on April 22, 2021. 

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Meridian Police Department 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 former Jackson resident, who is an alien from India, was sentenced to serve 15 months in prison and pay $4,710 in restitution for money laundering and firearms offenses, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca.

An original indictment naming ten defendants in the United States and abroad, charged Lovepreet Singh, an Indian national then residing and working as an interstate truck driver based in Indianapolis, IN, with acts supporting a conspiracy defrauding multiple victims, as part of an international tech support and telemarketing fraud scheme

According to the indictment and testimony in court, beginning in 2015 and continuing through 2018, Singh conspired with nine other defendants, located across the United States and in India, to commit the federal offenses of wire fraud, mail fraud, and bank fraud, in addition to offenses of money laundering, aggravated identity theft, and passing fictitious obligations.

Conspirators in Mississippi and elsewhere would obtain the telephone numbers and email addresses of computers belonging to various individuals throughout the United States.  Conspirators established and operated various business entities such as World Tech Assistance, and US Support Inc., in Mississippi and elsewhere in the United States. Conspirators engaged telephone calling centers in India, which would place calls to the United States numbers and appear to be coming from United States-based toll-free numbers. Conspirators would call victims in the United States, advising the victims that malware and ransomware were infecting the victims’ computers and devices, and that the victims should contact the conspirators for assistance. 

Conspirators misrepresented themselves as “Apple Support” or “Microsoft” or other legitimate and known technical support services, and offered their assistance to remove the software, in return for payment.  Victims responded to the conspirators’ phone calls and pop up messages to send monies and payments, by wire, check and other means.  Victims also granted conspirators access to the victims’ bank accounts and to the victims’ computers, permitting the conspirators to further enrich themselves by fraudulent appropriation and taking of the money and property of the victims.

Victims sent money and payments to conspirators in Mississippi and in India.  Conspirators in Mississippi would also send payments and monies to their co-conspirators in India.

In March, 2021, Singh pled guilty to one count of money laundering, in that Singh admitted to receiving and transmitting money obtained by his codefendants as a result of the fraud scheme, and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm.

The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations with assistance from the United States Marshals Service who assisted with the nationwide search and arrests of defendants.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Theodore Cooperstein.

Gulfport, Miss. – On Tuesday, July 27, 2021, a jury in federal court convicted two men of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and attempt to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Jack P. Staton, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New Orleans.

According to the evidence presented, Antony Daniel Abreu, 33, of Queens, New York, and Darrell Young, 47, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, arranged to purchase 17 kilos of cocaine from an individual in Gulfport.  The defendants shipped a car from Philadelphia that contained a hidden compartment in the trunk in which they hid cash.  At the time of their arrest on April 20, 2020, the defendants were staying in an AirBnB rental in Gulfport where law enforcement found saran wrap, duct tape, dryer sheets and other materials for packing the cocaine. Overall, law enforcement seized over $200,000 as part of this operation.  Prosecutors utilized phone dumps from 8 different seized cell phones along with recorded phone calls to show the conspiracy stretched as far as the  Dominican Republic.

Abreu and Young are scheduled to be sentenced on November 4, 2020.  Each faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Acting United States Attorney Darren J. LaMarca commented, “Thanks to the efforts of the agents of Homeland Security Investigations and the officers of the Harrison County Sheriff’s office, these major drug dealers are out of circulation. They will no longer peddle poison throughout the nation.”

The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Harrison County Sheriff’s Office.

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

Hattiesburg, Miss. – A Hattiesburg man pled guilty to Hobbs Act robbery, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Kurt Thielhorn, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

According to court documents, Jonathan Nash, 21, of Hattiesburg, was involved in the armed robbery of a Valero gas station in Hattiesburg on March 4, 2019.  During the robbery, a firearm was discharged and approximately $400 was taken from the cash register.  Nash admitted his involvement in the robbery during a subsequent interview jointly conducted by the ATF and Hattiesburg Police Department.

Nash was originally indicted for this offense on March 16, 2021.  He will be sentenced on November 10, 2021, in Hattiesburg, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison 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 Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Hattiesburg Police Department investigated the case.

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

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.

Hattiesburg, Miss. – A Hattiesburg man pled guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Kurt Thielhorn with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

According to court documents, on April 25, 2019, Derrick Keys, 34, of Hattiesburg, was the driver of a vehicle pulled over by Hattiesburg Police Department officers near Mobile Street in Hattiesburg.  During the stop, Keys began to flee in the motor vehicle, leading police on a miles-long chase through a residential zone.  Keys eventually abandoned his vehicle and began to flee on foot.  Hattiesburg Police officers found Keys a short distance later, as well as a firearm that he discarded while fleeing on foot.  Keys later admitted to possessing the firearm.

Keys was originally indicted for this offense on March 16, 2021.  He will be sentenced on November 10, 2021, and 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 Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Hattiesburg Police Department investigated the case.

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

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. – A Florida man pled guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca, Acting Special Agent in Charge Paul Brown of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Mississippi, and Special Agent in Charge Kurt Thielhorn of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

According to court documents, on May 14, 2021, Martin Gerardo Perusquia, 55, of Hollywood, Florida, was driving on I-10 in Jackson County when he was pulled over for a traffic violation by an agent with the South Mississippi Metro Enforcement Team who was also a Jackson County Sheriff’s Deputy.  During the traffic stop, the agent found that Perusquia was in possession of a Smith and Wesson .357 Magnum revolver with ammunition. A search of his criminal history revealed that Perusquia had previous convictions for possession of methamphetamine, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and bank robbery. An ATF expert examined the firearm which was determined to have been manufactured outside of Mississippi, and had traveled in interstate commerce.  The firearm is being forfeited to the federal government. 

Perusquia is scheduled to be sentenced on October 28, 2021, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. A higher maximum penalty can apply if he is determined to be an Armed Career Criminal, in which case, the penalty would be enhanced to not less than 15 years to life in prison.  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 Federal Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Jackson County Metro Enforcement Task Force, and the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Stan Harris 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 Toomsuba man pleaded guilty today to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Kurt Thielhorn, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

According to court documents, Kristopher Calvin Branch, 44, was found in possession of a firearm by officers of the Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Department on July 27, 2020, during an unrelated investigation concerning trespassing.  Branch had a small caliber pistol in his pocket.  Branch has four prior felony convictions.  As a convicted felon it is contrary to federal law for Branch to possess any firearm.

Branch is scheduled to be sentenced on October 27, 2021 and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives 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.

Hattiesburg, Miss. –  A Mount Olive father and son were both sentenced today to 170 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Brad Byerley, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration. 

According to court documents, Steven Lawrence Hand, 53, and Steven Tyler Hand, 29, of Mount Olive, sold methamphetamine to an individual on multiple occasions in August of 2019 and both were found to be in possession of additional methamphetamine during a search of their respective residences on July 23, 2020. 

The defendants were indicted by a federal grand jury and both pled guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine.  

The case is the result of an extensive Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation, dubbed “Operation: Bulldog,” which began as an operation targeting illegal methamphetamine distribution in south Mississippi.  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 Drug Enforcement Administration and the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Keesha D. Middleton prosecuted the case.

Jackson, Miss. – A Lauderdale, Mississippi man was sentenced today to 72 months in prison for being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Michelle Sutphin, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Mississippi.

According to court documents, Levi Gibbs, Jr., 51, knowingly and intentionally possessed a firearm after having been convicted of a felony offense.  On March 27, 2020, officers of the Meridian Police Department stopped a vehicle being driven by Gibbs after an officer observed Gibbs crossing over the center line of the road and speeding.  When an officer approached the passenger side of the vehicle, he saw a pistol in an ankle holster on Gibbs’ right leg.  The officer checked Gibbs’ criminal record and discovered that Gibbs was a convicted felon.  In fact, Gibbs has multiple felony convictions, several of which are for drug crimes.  Gibbs is currently under indictment from the Circuit Court of Lowndes County, Mississippi for Armed Robbery.  As a convicted felon it is against federal law for Gibbs to possess any firearm.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Meridian Police Department 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. – The former Mayor of Moss Point, Mississippi, and his wife were sentenced today for conspiracy to commit wire fraud relating to the Mayor’s Gala held in 2019, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Darren LaMarca, Mississippi State Auditor Shad White, and Special Agent in Charge Michelle A. Sutphin of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Mississippi.

Mario King was sentenced to 30 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release.  He was also ordered to pay $6,937.98 in restitution and an $8,000 fine. 

Natasha R. King was sentenced to a three-year term of probation with six months of home confinement.  She was also ordered to pay $6,937.98 in restitution and a $5,500 fine. 

According to court documents, former Mayor Mario King, 33, and his wife Natasha R. King, 32, began soliciting funds in late 2018 for a Gala to be held on March 23, 2019, in Moss Point.   The written solicitation stated that the “gala honors and supports organizations that are making a difference for the mental health community.  Proceeds support the efforts of mental health in the City of Moss Point with a focus on the Moss Point School District, converting spaces into a therapeutic and innovative learning environment.”

On March 4, 2019, Mario King and Natasha R. King appeared together on WLOX television and described the event, stating that funds from the Gala were to be used to create safe spaces for mental health counseling in the Moss Point School District.

It was the understanding of those contributing to the Gala, either in the form of tickets purchased or contributions, that the proceeds from the Gala would go to the Moss Point School District. Some of the funds were used to pay for the cost of the Gala, but the remaining proceeds did not go to the Moss Point School District.  Instead, the defendants used the proceeds for personal purchases, including the down payment on the purchase of a vehicle, cash withdrawals and the payment of credit card debts involving charges to complete the purchase of a personal pet.

The Kings pled guilty on February 24, 2021. 

The case was investigated by the Mississippi State Auditor’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. 

Assistant U.S. Attorney John Meynardie prosecuted the case.

A Mississippi pharmacist pleaded guilty today for his role in a multimillion-dollar scheme to defraud TRICARE and private insurance companies by paying kickbacks to distributors for the referral of medically unnecessary compounded prescription medications that were ultimately dispensed by his pharmacies. The conduct allegedly resulted in more than $180 million in fraudulent billings, including more than $50 million paid by federal healthcare programs. 

According to court documents, David “Jason” Rutland, 42, of Bolton, a pharmacist and co-owner of various compounding pharmacies, admitted that he participated in a scheme to defraud TRICARE and other health care benefit programs by distributing medically unnecessary compounded medications by, among other things: adjusting prescription formulas to ensure the highest reimbursement without regard to efficacy; soliciting recruiters to procure prescriptions for high-margin compounded medications and paying those recruiters commissions based on the percentage of reimbursements paid by pharmacy benefit managers and health care benefit programs, including commissions on claims reimbursed by TRICARE; and routinely and systematically waiving and/or reducing copayments to be paid by beneficiaries and members, including utilizing a purported copayment assistance program to falsely make it appear as if Rutland’s pharmacy and its affiliate compounding pharmacies had been collecting copayments.

Rutland pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud the United States and solicit, receive, offer and pay illegal kickbacks, and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. Sentencing has been scheduled for Nov. 30. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Rutland must also pay restitution and forfeit all assets traced to the ill-gotten gains.

Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicholas L. McQuaid of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Acting U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca for the Southern District of Mississippi; Special Agent in Charge Michelle Sutphin of the FBI’s Jackson Field Office and Special Agent in Charge Cynthia A. Bruce of the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) Southeast Field Office made the announcement.

The FBI and DCIS are investigating the case.

Trial Attorneys Emily Cohen and Alejandra Arias of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathlyn Van Buskirk of the Southern District of Mississippi are prosecuting the case with assistance from Sara Porter and Dustin Davis from the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section.

Jackson, Miss. –  A Jackson man was sentenced to 84 months in federal prison for brandishing a firearm in the commission of a business robbery, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Darren LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Kurt Thielhorn with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.    

According to court records, on August 27, 2020, Timothy Dante Alexander, 28, robbed the Jackson Ice Company gas station on Jefferson Street at gunpoint.  Surveillance video shows Alexander entering the store with a gun and walking behind the counter.  Alexander pointed the gun at the store clerk and took approximately $1000 cash from the register.  Alexander was later apprehended wearing the same clothing in the surveillance video, a backpack as seen in the video, a gun and approximately $1000 in cash. 

Alexander was charged in a federal criminal indictment and pled guilty on April 13, 2021.   He was sentenced on July 15, 2021 by U.S. District Judge Carlton Reeves to 84 months in prison, followed by two years of supervised release.    

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.

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

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Chris Wansley.

Jackson, MS – Teressia Garner, 60, of Minden, Louisiana, pleaded guilty on July 9, 2021, to embezzling, and converting government funds to her own use, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca; Douglas Williams, FBI Special Agent in Charge, New Orleans Field Division; Dax Robertson, USDA OIG Special Agent in Charge in New Orleans; and Stephen Street, Louisiana Inspector General

According to court documents, Teressia Garner was the director and registered agent of Safe Haven Development, Inc., a non-profit corporation. Safe Haven entered into an agreement with the Louisiana Department of Education’s Division of Nutrition Support to participate in several Child Nutrition Programs, including the Child and Adult Care Food Program and the Summer Food Nutrition Program. Funding for these programs is federal government money administered by the Food and Nutrition Service, an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture. Safe Haven received federal funding and participated in these programs from 2011 through 2015 by providing meals to those children and adults that are enrolled in participating child- care centers, adult day care centers, and day care homes.  

On December 15, 2015, Teressia Garner planned a Christmas party for the employees of Safe Haven at the Wyndham Garden Shreveport. The defendant paid for the party, totaling $9,578.48 with program funds that had been deposited into the Safe Haven business account. The party included the expense of renting a large ballroom, catered food, and an open bar serving alcohol. The program funds used for the party were intended to be used for the Child Nutrition Programs and not for entertainment purposes. 

"Ms. Garner’s greed was evident, stealing money designated for the USDA Summer Food Service and Child and Adult Care Food Programs, which provide nutritional meals for children and adults in low-income families, to pay her own personal expenses. Ms. Garner’s guilty plea sends a clear message and will be a deterrent to others who would attempt to defraud American taxpayers”, said Douglas Williams, FBI New Orleans Special Agent in Charge. “I would like to thank the efforts put forth by our partners at the United States Attorney’s Office, Southern District of Mississippi, Office of State Inspector General, State of Louisiana, and the Office of Inspector General, United States Department of Agriculture.”

USDA OIG Special Agent in Charge Dax Roberson stated: “I want to thank the US Attorney’s office, OIG special agents, and our investigative partners for their hard work on this investigation.  When the integrity of nutrition programs for needy children is violated by criminal conduct, the Office of Inspector General will pursue justice to the fullest extent of the law.”

Louisiana Inspector General Stephen Street commented: “This is just the latest in a series of successful criminal cases where summer nutrition funds were stolen without a shred of regard for the children the funds were supposed to benefit.  It is criminal behavior based in pure greed, and we have zero tolerance for it. The Louisiana OIG will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to aggressively pursue criminal consequences for anyone who steals from the public.”  Street added, “I want to thank Assistant United States Attorneys Erin Chalk and Meghan McCalla for their outstanding work, as well as our partners at the FBI and USDA OIG.”

Garner pleaded guilty to Theft of Government Funds in the United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana, Shreveport Division. She is scheduled to be sentenced by United States District Judge Donald E. Walter on October 13, 2021 at 10:00 a.m. in Shreveport. She faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. The District Judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The case is being prosecuted by Southern District of Mississippi Assistant United States Attorneys Erin Chalk and Meghan McCalla, Acting Under the Authority Conferred by 28 U.S.C. §515, to appear in the Western District of Louisiana.

Gulfport, Miss. - A Jackson County man pleaded guilty to being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Kurt Thielhorn, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

According to court documents, Ledarrius Jamontaie Forrest, 30, of Moss Point, was arrested on August 21, 2020, after a state search warrant was served at a Moss Point residence where Forrest was the sole occupant.  During the search, a rifle, ammunition, and narcotics were found.  The firearm, a Norinco, Model MAK90 Sporter, 7.62 rifle, was reported stolen. 

Forrest was confirmed to have two state felony convictions from the Circuit Court of Jackson County.  He had been convicted of possession of controlled substance, for which he ultimately was sentenced to serve a term of 3 years in the custody of the Mississippi Department of Corrections.    

Forrest is scheduled to be sentenced on Tuesday, October 5, 2021, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.  A higher maximum penalty of 15 years to life can apply if a defendant is determined to be an Armed Career Criminal. 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 Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, the Jackson County Metro Enforcement Task Force, and the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stan Harris.

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 Philadelphia, Mississippi man pled guilty today to federal charges of second degree murder and aggravated sexual abuse of a child, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Michelle A. Sutphin of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Mississippi. 

According to court documents and statements in open court, on June 8, 2019, Brett K. Hickman, 27, physically and sexually abused a two-year-old child who lived at his home in the Tucker Community of the Choctaw Indian Reservation which resulted in the death of the child.  

In July 2019, a federal grand jury returned an indictment against Hickman, charging him with one count of murder and one count of aggravated sexual abuse of a child. 

Hickman will be sentenced by U.S. District Judge David Bramlette III on November 2, 2021 in Natchez.  He faces a potential maximum sentence of life in prison on the murder charge and not less than 30 years on the aggravated sexual abuse charge, along with a $250,000 fine on each count.

Acting U.S. Attorney LaMarca commended the work of the Special Agents with the FBI’s Jackson Division and the Criminal Investigative Division of the Choctaw Police Department, who investigated the case.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin Payne.

Jackson, Miss. –  A Jackson man was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Michelle Sutphin, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Mississippi.

According to court documents, Travaris Devon Bishop, 36, was arrested by the Jackson Police Department on January 9, 2020, with a firearm in his possession.  The arrest was made during an investigation into criminal activity in a local neighborhood. Bishop had two previous convictions for house burglary and was prohibited from possessing a firearm.

On August 11, 2021, Bishop was charged in a federal criminal indictment with being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm. He pled guilty on July 12, 2021.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Lynn Murray 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. – An alien from Honduras was sentenced to 30 months in prison for the crime of  transporting and harboring illegal aliens, announced Acting United States Attorney Darren J. LaMarca.

According to court documents, on March 19, 2019, Dennis Omar Escobar-Castro was driving a Chevy Suburban with Texas license plates eastbound on Interstate I-20 when a Rankin County Sheriff’s Deputy made a traffic stop for careless driving.  Escobar-Castro could produce no driver’s license, and none of the eleven passengers had identification or driver’s licenses, other than South American IDs.  Two of the alien passengers were unaccompanied minors.

Castro admitted to agents from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) that he believed all his passengers were nationals of Mexico, Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador, and that Escobar-Castro had been driving them from Houston, Texas, to Atlanta, Georgia, to take them to work.  At least one alien passenger claimed to have paid $1,000 for Escobar-Castro to drive him from Texas to his destination.

An original indictment, returned by a federal grand jury in April 2019, charged Escobar-Castro with transporting and harboring aliens.  He pled guilty on March 25, 2021.

Escobar-Castro appeared today for sentencing before United States District Judge Carlton W. Reeves in Jackson.  Judge Reeves sentenced Escobar-Castro to 30 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and a fine of $1200.

Acting U.S. Attorney LaMarca commended the work of the Special Agents with HSI’s Jackson Division who investigated the case, and the Rankin County Sheriff’s Office who assisted with the discovery and arrest of defendants.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Theodore Cooperstein and Keesha Middleton.

Jackson, Miss. - A former employee of the Pearl River Resort - Silver Star Hotel & Casino was sentenced today to a probation term of five years, and ordered to pay $10,800 in restitution, for theft by an employee of a gaming establishment on Indian lands, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca.

According to court documents, Reginal Brown, 36, was a banquet server at the Silver Star Hotel & Casino in the Pearl River Resort.  Between January 2016 and May 2016, Brown used his own password on multiple occasions to take, for himself, approximately $10,800 from the cash recyclers in the facility.  Casino management discovered the discrepancy in accounting and on video surveillance of the cash recycler area, then reported Brown to law enforcement.  Choctaw Police Department investigators interviewed Brown, who admitted taking the money.

A federal grand jury charged Brown with one count of theft from the Silver Star Casino.  He pled guilty in April 2021. 

Acting U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca stated, “Federal law imposes severe penalties for crimes committed in licensed gaming establishments.  The great potential for misconduct in these settings calls for constant vigilance and self-discipline of those entrusted with the casinos’ operation.” 

The case was investigated by the Choctaw Police Department of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Theodore Cooperstein and Kevin Payne.

Gulfport, Miss. –  Dexter Kimsey, 26, of McHenry, was sentenced today to 141 months in federal prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release, for transporting images of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Jack P. Staton, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in New Orleans. 

Kimsey was also ordered to pay restitution to victims in the amount of $14,000 and an assessment of $5,000 under the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act.

In June, 2019, HSI Gulfport and the Stone County Sheriff’s Office executed a state search warrant at a McHenry residence where electronic devices belonging to Dexter Kimsey were recovered.  Kimsey’s on-line account and cell phone were found to contain still and video format child exploitation visual depictions.   

Kimsey was indicted by a federal grand jury on June 23, 2020.  He pled guilty on March 31, 2021 to transporting images of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct.

The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Stone County Sheriff’s Office.  It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea Jones.          

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.

Jackson, Miss. – Roderick Bell, 42, of Philadelphia, an elected member of the Tribal Council for the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians, entered a plea of guilty today to federal wire fraud, announced Acting United States Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Michelle A. Sutphin of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Mississippi. 

A federal grand jury indicted Bell in February 2019, charging him with one count of theft and one count of wire fraud for defrauding the Choctaw Tribal government.  Between April 2017 and October 2017, Bell forged hotel bills and receipts and submitted those documents to the Tribal government in claims for reimbursement for official business travel.   

Bell will be sentenced by Judge Carlton W. Reeves on October 6, 2021.  He faces a potential maximum penalty of  20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

Acting U.S. Attorney LaMarca commended the work of the Special Agents with the FBI’s Jackson Division who investigated the case.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Theodore Cooperstein and Kevin Payne.

Jackson, Miss. –  A Jackson man pled guilty today to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Michelle A. Sutphin, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Mississippi.   

According to court documents, Jeffery Rivers, Jr., 39, of Jackson, sold almost a half kilogram of methamphetamine on March 2, 2020.  The drugs were analyzed by the Drug Enforcement Administration Laboratory and confirmed to be 437.5 grams of pure methamphetamine.

Rivers pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.  He is scheduled to be sentenced on October 6, 2021 and faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and a maximum penalty of life in prison.  A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. 

The FBI Jackson Safe Streets Task Force investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Keesha D. Middleton is prosecuting the case.

The case is the result of an extensive investigation, dubbed “Hailstorm,” which began as an operation targeting illegal methamphetamine distribution in central Mississippi. 

Jackson, Miss. – A former federal corrections officer from Lauderdale County, Mississippi, was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison for bribery, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and James Boyersmith, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the Inspector General.

According to court documents, in approximately July 2018, Ashley Lovett began accepting payments in exchange for smuggling contraband into the Federal Prison in Yazoo County, Mississippi, where she was employed as a corrections officer. Lovett was paid approximately seven thousand dollars by inmates and others for delivering the contraband to inmates inside the facility.

Lovett was indicted and pled guilty to accepting bribe payments in exchange for bringing contraband items into the Yazoo City Federal Corrections Complex.

The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Inspector General

The case was prosecuted by Deputy Criminal Chief Dave Fulcher.

Gulfport, Miss. -  A Mexican national was sentenced today to 14 months in prison, followed by one year of supervised release, for unlawful reentry by an alien after deportation or removal, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Jason E. Schneider, Chief Patrol Agent of the Border Patrol’s New Orleans Sector.  

According to court documents, Sergio Rodriguez-Arevalos, 43, was arrested following a traffic stop on Interstate 10 by a deputy with the Harrison County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Interdiction Patrol.  Border Patrol agents were called in to assist and determined that Rodriguez-Arevalos was not lawfully present in the United States.  Rodriguez-Arevalos was arrested and transported to the Gulfport Border Patrol station for processing.

Rodriguez-Arevalos’ fingerprints were scanned into DHS electronic databases and his identity was confirmed based on computerized fingerprint analysis and visual analysis of his prior immigration photographs, and other official information.  Official records revealed that in 1998, a U.S. Immigration Judge ordered Rodriguez-Arevalos to be removed to Mexico, and he was physically removed in September, 1998.  Rodriguez-Arevalos later reentered the U.S. and was removed an additional three times before reentering yet again and being arrested in December 2020.  Further, Rodriguez-Arevalos had been convicted of multiple misdemeanor offenses, including driving under the influence, while illegally residing in the United States.

The case was investigated by the U.S. Border Patrol and the Harrison County Sheriff’s Department.

The case was prosecuted by  Assistant United States Attorney Stan Harris.

Gulfport, Miss. – A Gulfport man pled guilty to being an unlawful drug user in possession of a firearm, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Kurt Thielhorn, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF).

According to court documents, Gulfport Police officers and ATF agents executed a search warrant on the residence of Connor Higginbotham, 22, of Gulfport, as part of investigation into stolen firearms.  Agents discovered 12 firearms, several of them capable of receiving high capacity magazines. Officers also discovered approximately 300 grams of marijuana and an unregistered silencer.  Higginbotham was taken into custody and later admitted to purchasing some of the firearms and knowing they were stolen.  Higginbotham also admitted to daily use of marijuana and frequent use of Percocet.

Higginbotham pled guilty to being an unlawful user of a controlled substance in possession of a firearm.  He is scheduled to be sentenced on September 23, 2021. He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison.  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 Gulfport Police Department, and the Hancock County Sheriff’s Department investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Buckner 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.

Hattiesburg, Miss. – A Laurel man was sentenced today to 48 months in prison for being a felon in possession of multiple firearms, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca of the Southern District of Mississippi and Kurt Thielhorn, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

According to court documents, on October 19, 2019, Jacob Daniel Williams, 26, of Laurel, was found in possession of four firearms while passing through a checkpoint being operated by the Jones County Sheriff’s Office.  The firearms included three shotguns and a pistol.  Williams had been convicted of drug possession felonies in Jones County in 2016.

Williams was indicted for this offense on June 23, 2020, and pled guilty on March 23, 2021.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Jones County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Andrew W. Eichner.

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.

Hattiesburg, Miss. – A Hattiesburg man was sentenced today to 51 months in federal prison for possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Darren LaMarca, Kurt Thielhorn, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and Brad L. Byerley, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration.

According to court documents, on January 16, 2019, Raymarcus Hollimon, a/k/a “Smoke Loc,” 30, of Hattiesburg, was encountered by members of the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Hattiesburg Metro Narcotics Task Force during a narcotics detail.  Hollimon was found in possession of over 190 tablets containing methamphetamine with other drug distribution paraphernalia.

Hollimon was indicted for this offense on June 10, 2020. He pled guilty on March 23, 2021.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Drug Enforcement Administration, and Hattiesburg Police Department investigated the case. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Andrew W. Eichner.

This case was 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.

Hattiesburg, Miss. –  A Carson man was sentenced today to 210 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Brad Byerley, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration. 

According to court documents, Charles John Barrett, 37, of Carson, sold methamphetamine to an individual in Hattiesburg on multiple occasions between January and November of 2020. 

Barrett was indicted by a federal grand jury on October 20, 2020.  He pled guilty on March 23, 2021 to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

The case is the result of an extensive investigation, dubbed “Bulldog,” which began as an operation targeting illegal methamphetamine distribution in south Mississippi. 

The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Keesha D. Middleton prosecuted the case.

Jackson, Miss. – An illegal alien from Mexico pled guilty today to attempting to bribe a federal officer, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Jack P. Staton, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in New Orleans.  

According to court documents, Jesus Miranda-Alcantar, 34, was in the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) because he is an alien illegally present in the United States.  On September 17, 2020, an ICE deportation officer drove a van transporting Miranda-Alcantar from the HSI/ICE office in Pearl, Mississippi to the Madison County Detention Center.   During the drive, Miranda-Alcantar repeatedly offered to pay the deportation officer thousands of dollars if he would stop the van and let Miranda-Alcantar out by the side of the road.  The officer ignored or declined the offers and delivered Miranda-Alcantar to the Madison County jail.  Soon thereafter, the officer reported the incident to his supervisor and executed a sworn affidavit recounting the details of the incident.

In a recorded interview on November 4, 2020, after advice of Miranda rights, Miranda-Alcantar confirmed the details and admitted to making the bribe offer. He added that his initial offer had been $5,000 but he then raised it to $8,000.

“Attempts to corrupt our law enforcement remain a major threat,” said Acting U.S. Attorney  LaMarca.  “These arrests affirm the Department of Justice’s commitment to prosecuting those who seek to corruptly influence and to exacerbate violations of our immigration laws.”

An indictment, returned by a federal grand jury on November 17, 2020, charged Jesus Christian Miranda-Alcantar with offering a bribe to a federal official.   Miranda-Alcantar pled guilty today and is scheduled for sentencing on September 23, 2021 at 9:00 a.m.  He faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison.  A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Homeland Security Investigation’s (HSI) Office of Professional Responsibility investigated the case and the HSI Jackson Office assisted with the discovery and arrest of the defendant.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Theodore Cooperstein and Kevin Payne.

Gulfport, Miss. - A Honduran national was sentenced today to 9 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for transporting an illegal alien within the United States, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca, Jack P. Staton, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New Orleans, and Jason E. Schneider, Chief Patrol Agent of the Border Patrol’s New Orleans Sector.   

On January 26, 2021, Ceferino Guardado-Reyes, 38, was stopped by a Border Patrol Agent while driving on Interstate 10 in Jackson County.  Guardado-Reyes did not have a driver’s license, and a record check revealed an active deportation warrant out of Texas.  The Agent determined Guardado-Reyes and his two passengers were unlawfully present in the United States.  Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) was notified, and all three vehicle occupants were taken to the Border Patrol Station in Gulfport for investigation, including fingerprint scans into Homeland Security databases.  Border Patrol and HSI officials confirmed the identity of Guardado-Reyes and his two passengers as citizens of Honduras and as illegal aliens to the U.S.  It also was determined that Guardado-Reyes was unlawfully transporting or smuggling his two passengers from Texas to Florida.

Guardado-Reyes was charged in a federal indictment with transporting an illegal alien within the United States.  He pled guilty on March 16, 2021.

A passenger in the vehicle, Daniel Romero-Mancia, 25, of Honduras, pled guilty on April 8, 2021, and was sentenced to “time served” (4 months and 15 days), followed by three years of supervised release, for making a false statement to a federal officer.   Romero-Mancia claimed to be from Mexico instead of Honduras and had produced a false identification document.

The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the U.S. Border Patrol.  

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stan Harris.

Jackson, Miss. -  A Jackson man was sentenced today to 15 years in prison for possessing a firearm after having been previously convicted of multiple felony offenses, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Michelle Sutphin, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Mississippi.

According to court documents, on January 21, 2019, Jackson Police officers responded to a call concerning a suspected house burglary in the city of Jackson.  When officers arrived, Albert Thompson, 24, of Jackson, was found at the scene along with two other individuals. All three individuals ran from the officers. Thompson was taken into custody and had a 9mm pistol in his hand.  The arresting officer reported that Thompson raised the pistol toward her. 

Thompson had four prior felony convictions for burglary of a dwelling in Rankin and Madison counties, and a felony conviction for motor vehicle theft in Rankin County.  As a convicted felon, it is contrary to federal law for Thompson to possess any firearm. 

Thompson was indicted and pled guilty to possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Due to the number and nature of Thompson’s prior felony convictions, he faced an enhanced penalty at sentencing.

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

Assistant U.S. Attorney Bert Carraway 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 Natchez man was sentenced today to 15 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, announced Acting United States Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Kurt Thielhorn with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.

According to court documents, Adams County Sheriff’s deputies encountered Roy Ray III, 20, while searching for a wanted person.  Although he was not the person deputies were looking for, Ray was in possession of a firearm and deputies knew a warrant had been issued for him over probation violations.

Ray was charged in a federal criminal indictment with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.  He pled guilty on March 16, 2021.

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

Assistant U.S. Attorney Bert Carraway 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.

Hattiesburg, Miss. - A Louisiana man pled guilty in federal court today to attempted enticement of a minor, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Jack P. Staton, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New Orleans.

During an operation being conducted by law enforcement in Marion County in December 2020, Brandon Brumfield, 24, of Greensburg, Louisiana, engaged with an undercover online chatter posing as a 14-year-old on the online dating website “Plenty of Fish.”  While chatting, Brumfield expressed his desire to have sex with the 14-year-old and stated he would drive to Columbia, Mississippi, from Greensburg, Louisiana, to do so.  Upon arrival in Columbia, Brumfield was arrested by law enforcement with condoms in his vehicle.  Brumfield subsequently admitted to law enforcement that his intent was to have sex with a 14-year-old he had met on “Plenty of Fish.”

An indictment was filed against Brumfield on September 9, 2021. He pled guilty today and is scheduled to be sentenced on October 26, 2021 at 11:00 a.m.  He faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum of life.  A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Homeland Security Investigations and the Columbia Police Department investigated the case. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Andrew W. Eichner.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.

Hattiesburg, Miss. – A Hattiesburg man pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Brad L. Byerley, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration.

According to court documents, Charles Terry Jones, 41, sold over 50 grams of methamphetamine to an individual in Forrest County on July 9, 2019, and again on July 23, 2019.     

Jones is scheduled to be sentenced on October 26, 2021. He faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum of life.  A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Buckner is prosecuting the case.

Jackson, Miss. –  A Pelahatchie man pleaded guilty today to harboring an illegal alien, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Jack P. Staton, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New Orleans.

According to court documents, Salvador Delgado-Nieves, 58, of Pelahatchie, worked for Southern Knights Industrial Services as the manager at A&B Inc., a poultry processing plant in Pelahatchie.  He was charged with aiding and abetting the harboring of an illegal alien for financial gain as a manager of the employee management company.

Delgado-Nieves pleaded guilty today and is scheduled for sentencing on September 15, 2021.  He faces a maximum penalty of ten years in prison.  A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Lynn Murray is prosecuting the case.

Jackson, Miss. – A former Jackson Public School band volunteer and bus driver pleaded guilty today to producing child pornography, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Michelle Sutphin of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Mississippi.

According to court documents, Jerrell Lea’Shun Jackson, 34, of Ridgeland, Mississippi, video recorded himself engaging in sexually explicit conduct with minor females beginning in 2017 and continuing through 2018 at his apartment in Ridgeland, Mississippi.

Jackson pleaded guilty today to three counts of producing child pornography. He is scheduled to be sentenced on September 30, 2021, and faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years and a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison. 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 prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Glenda R. Haynes.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.

Gulfport, Miss. – A Honduran national was sentenced yesterday to 21 months in federal prison for   unlawful reentry by an alien deported or removed after conviction of a felony, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Jason E. Schneider, Acting Chief Patrol Agent of the Border Patrol’s New Orleans Sector.

Williams Perez-Aguirre, 30, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Taylor B. McNeel in Gulfport.  Perez-Aguirre also was ordered to serve three years of supervised release following completion of his prison sentence.  He may also face Department of Homeland Security removal proceedings.  Perez-Aguirre was convicted after pleading guilty on March 8, 2021.

According to court documents, on January 4, 2021, the U.S. Border Patrol stopped a vehicle driven by Perez-Aguirre, who did not have a driver’s license.  Record checks revealed he was an illegal alien with a removal history and he was placed under arrest.  Both Perez-Aguirre and one of his passengers, Encaracion Aguirre-Lopez were taken to the Gulfport Border Patrol Station for processing. 

Records showed that in 2016, Perez-Aguirre was removed by Immigration and Customs Enforcement from Texas to Honduras.  He was later arrested in May 2017 in Arlington, Texas for deadly conduct discharging a firearm at an individual.  He was convicted of a Texas state felony and sentenced to two years in prison.  He was physically removed again to Honduras on May 17, 2018. 

Passenger Encaracion Aguirre-Lopez also pleaded guilty and was convicted of unlawful return of an alien after removal. On May 14, 2021, Aguirre-Lopez was sentenced to “time served” (4 months and 11 days) followed by 1 year of supervised release.  Aguirre-Lopez also is subject to removal from the United States

Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Mississippi, Darren J. LaMarca, praised the investigative work of the U.S. Border Patrol and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.  Assistant United States Attorney Stan Harris prosecuted the case.       

Jackson, Miss. -  A Vicksburg man was sentenced today to 30 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Darren LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Michelle A. Sutphin with the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Mississippi.     

On March 28, 2020, at 3:30 a.m., Darren Antonyo Mazie, 36, was driving during a city-wide curfew and encountered a Vicksburg Police Officer.  Mazie possessed a firearm at the time and was a convicted felon, having been found guilty of burglarizing a business.

Mazie was charged in a federal criminal indictment with possession of a firearm by convicted felon.  He pled guilty on March 3, 2021.

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

Assistant U.S. Attorney Bert Carraway prosecuted the case.

Jackson, Miss. – Jarvis Kendal Haynes, 30, of Jackson, pled guilty today before Chief U.S. District Judge Daniel P. Jordan III to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, mail fraud and bank fraud as part of a tech support telemarketing scheme, announced Acting United States Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Jack P. Staton, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations, New Orleans Field Office.

An original indictment naming ten defendants in the United States and abroad, returned by a federal grand jury on March 19, 2019, charged Haynes with acts supporting a conspiracy defrauding multiple victims, as part of an international tech support and telemarketing fraud scheme. 

According to the indictment and testimony in court, beginning no later than on or about January 10, 2015, and continuing through on or about December 20, 2018, Haynes conspired with nine other defendants, located both across the United States and in India, to commit the federal offenses of wire fraud, mail fraud, and bank fraud, in addition to offenses of money laundering, aggravated identity theft, and passing fictitious obligations.

As stated in court documents and testimony in open court, Haynes assisted leaders of a fraud ring which sent tech support emails or telephone messages wrongly advising consumers that their computers were infected with malware or otherwise compromised, offering for a price to help free their computers.  Once given permission to access victims’ computers, conspirators either in the United States or abroad would help themselves to personal identification information and bank account passwords from their victims’ computers.

Haynes specifically aided the conspirators by incorporating a company called Rapid Race Experts LLC, and opening bank accounts for the business.  Conspirators would then use the business name and the bank accounts to transfer and remove money obtained from victims during the scam.

“Fraud schemes, like the ones perpetrated and executed by these defendants, inflict considerable loss on citizens, companies, and the financial system,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Darren LaMarca.  “Many of these schemes target the elderly and often steal the victims’ entire life savings.  These arrests affirm the Department of Justice’s commitment to prosecuting those who prey on our most vulnerable citizens.”

Haynes pled guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, mail fraud, and bank fraud, admitting to his role in the fraud scheme financial operations. He will be sentenced by Judge Jordan on September 21, 2021.

Haynes faces maximum penalties for the wire fraud conspiracy of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.  If the Court finds applicable the Senior Citizens Against Marketing Scams Act (“SCAM Act”), then Haynes’s maximum penalty could extend up to thirty (30) years.

Acting U.S. Attorney LaMarca commended the work of the Special Agents with HSI’s Jackson Division who investigated the case, and United States Marshals Service who assisted with the arrest of the defendant.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Theodore Cooperstein.

Jackson, Miss. – A Jackson man pled guilty in U.S. District Court yesterday to robbing a local bank, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Michelle A. Sutphin, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Mississippi.   

Richard Dewayne Jiles, 42, robbed the Trustmark Bank on Medgar Evers Boulevard in Jackson on December 3, 2020.  Jiles entered the Trustmark Bank and handed the teller a note stating that she would die if she did not give him $5,000.  Law enforcement officers learned from Crimestoppers tips and witness statements that Jiles was the person who robbed the bank.  Jiles was arrested in Rankin County after crashing into another vehicle.  He was indicted by a federal grand jury on February 9, 2021.

Jiles pled guilty and is scheduled to be sentenced on September 17, 2021. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

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

Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Wansley 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 Woodville man pled guilty in federal court today to selling methamphetamine, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca of the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Kurt Thielhorn of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

According to court documents, Ricky Oneal Wright, 58, sold 6.5 grams of pure methamphetamine to an individual on October 22, 2019. 

Wright was indicted and pled guilty today to possessing with intent to distribute 5 grams or more of methamphetamine. He is scheduled to be sentenced on September 2, 2021 at 10 a.m. and faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 5 years in prison and a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison.  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 Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.

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

Hattiesburg, Miss. – Delma Ruth High, 64, of Petal, pleaded guilty to theft of government funds involving unemployment insurance benefits fraud, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Darren J. Lamarca and U.S. Secret Service Resident Agent in Charge Shawn Wolfe.

In May 2020, a local bank alerted the U.S. Secret Service Jackson Resident Office that unemployment insurance benefits from the State of Washington and Arizona had been deposited into High’s account.  This information was provided in relation to High’s actions in the days leading up to her account being closed for fraudulent activity. An investigation into these benefits revealed that they were deposited into High’s account under other individuals’ names.  The unemployment insurance benefits were federally subsidized through the CARES Act in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

High pled guilty today to theft of government funds.  She is scheduled to be sentenced on Wednesday, October 6, 2021, and faces up to 10 years in prison. Senior U.S. District Court Judge Keith Starrett will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The case was investigated by the United States Secret Service.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Meghan M. McCalla and William Dieters prosecuted the case.

This case is being prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s National Unemployment Insurance Fraud Task Force (NUIFTF). In response to the unprecedented scope of Unemployment Insurance (UI) fraud, the Department of Justice established the NUIFTF. The NUIFTF is a prosecutor-led multi-agency task force with representatives from FBI, DOL-OIG, IRS-CI, HSI, DHS-OIG, USPIS, USSS, SSA-OIG, FDIC-OIG, and other agencies. Members of the NUIFTF are working with state workforce agencies, financial institutions, and other law enforcement partners across the country to fight UI fraud, and consumers should be vigilant in light of these threats and take the appropriate steps to safeguard themselves.

The CARES Act is a federal law enacted on March 29, 2020, designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans who are suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. One source of relief provided by the CARES Act is the authorization that expands states’ ability to provide unemployment insurance for many workers impacted by COVID-19, including for workers who are not ordinarily eligible for unemployment insurance benefits.

Anyone with information about 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.

Jackson, Miss. - A Jackson man pleaded guilty today to possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca of the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Michelle A. Sutphin of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Mississippi. 

On May 13, 2019, FBI agents and Jackson police officers executed a search warrant on a house in Jackson.  When agents entered, Jekobie Lewis Ransburgh, 23, was sitting on a couch with a digital scale, packaged marijuana and crack-cocaine, and cash.  In addition, a handgun was tucked in his pants.  Ransburgh told agents the cash was drug proceeds and that he possessed the gun to protect the drugs and cash.

Ransburgh was indicted and pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. He is scheduled to be sentenced on September 16, 2021, and faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 5 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The FBI and the Jackson Police Department are investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Bert Carraway 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.