Jackson, Miss. - Justin Jamal Williams, 29, of Jackson, pled guilty Friday before Chief U.S. District Judge Daniel P. Jordan III to being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Special Agent in Charge Dana Nichols with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
On March 17, 2018, a Jackson Police officer conducted a traffic stop on a car with no license plate. The officer noticed that Williams, who was sitting in the back seat of the car, had a suspicious bulge in the leg of his pants and he was moving around nervously. When the officer asked Williams to step out of the car, he attempted to push past the officer and run. He was immediately taken into custody and a firearm was found on him.
Williams was charged in a federal indictment on Dec. 11, 2018, with being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm. He has prior felony convictions in Hinds County for burglary, possession of marijuana and possession with intent to distribute marijuana.
He pled guilty before Judge Jordan on Friday, Feb. 15, 2019, and will be sentenced on May 17, 2019. He faces a maximum penalty of ten years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Charles W. Kirkham.
This case is part of Project EJECT, an initiative by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi under the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). EJECT is a holistic, multi-disciplinary approach to fighting and reducing violent crime through prosecution, prevention, re-entry and awareness. EJECT stands for "Empower Justice Expel Crime Together." PSN is bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Former Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
