Jackson, Miss - Jamarhi Raheem Lucas, 23, of Natchez, pled guilty today before Senior U.S. District Judge David C. Bramlette III to possessing a machine gun, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Kurt Thielhorn, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
On Sept. 22, 2018, Jamarhi Raheem Lucas, who was one of two men standing outside of a residence on Ouachita St. in Natchez, attempted to flee from law enforcement officers as they approached him. Officers detained him and while they were identifying him, they saw a short-barreled rifle that was fully automatic (machine gun) in the car that belonged to him. Officers seized the short-barreled machine gun.
On June 12, 2019, Lucas was charged in a federal indictment with possessing a machine gun and of possessing a machine gun not registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record.
Lucas will be sentenced by Judge Bramlette on June 4, 2020. He faces a statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Bert Carraway and Glenda Haynes.
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) and Project Guardian. 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. Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
