Jackson, Miss. - Tommy Robert Spells, also known as Thomas Spell, 32, of Jackson, pled guilty today before U.S. District Judge Carlton W. Reeves to being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Christopher Freeze, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Mississippi.
On July 24, 2018, Jackson Police officers conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by Spells after he made an illegal U-turn at the intersection of Highway 80 and Robinson Street in Jackson. Spells, a convicted felon, was found to be in possession of a Hi-Point.45 caliber pistol, which was later determined to be stolen. Spells was previously convicted of statutory rape in Hinds County.
Spells will be sentenced on May 24, 2019, by Judge Reeves, and faces a maximum penalty of ten years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Charles W. Kirkham.
This case is part of Project EJECT, an initiative by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi under the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). EJECT is a holistic, multi-disciplinary approach to fighting and reducing violent crime through prosecution, prevention, re-entry and awareness. EJECT stands for "Empower Justice Expel Crime Together." PSN is bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Former Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
