Jackson, Miss. - Mark Cassity, 22, of Jackson, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge Daniel P. Jordan III to 30 months in federal prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Kurt Thielhorn, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
On June 8, 2018, Cassity was arrested by an officer of the Jackson Police Department during a traffic stop for providing false information. During the arrest, a brief struggle ensued between the officer and Cassity. Once the officer gained control, the officer discovered a handgun in Cassity’s front pocket. During booking, the officer learned Cassity had been previously convicted of auto burglary.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Bert Carraway.
This case is part of Project EJECT, an initiative by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi under the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). EJECT is a holistic, multi-disciplinary approach to fighting and reducing violent crime through prosecution, prevention, re-entry and awareness. EJECT stands for "Empower Justice Expel Crime Together." PSN is bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Former Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
