A Jackson resident has been sentenced to 70 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Diquan Barnes, 32, was stopped by a Jackson Police Department officer after he ran a red light. During the stop, officers found a firearm in his vehicle. Federal law prohibits Barnes from owning or possessing firearms or ammunition due to previous felony convictions that include armed robbery, armed carjacking, and attempted armed robbery.
Barnes was indicted by a federal grand jury on March 5, 2024, and pleaded guilty to the charge on July 1, 2025.
U.S. Attorney J.E. Baxter Kruger of the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Robert A. Eikhoff announced the sentencing. The FBI investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Allen prosecuted it.
The prosecution is part of Operation Take Back America, which uses resources from several Department of Justice programs to combat illegal immigration, dismantle cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and address violent crime in communities. The initiative coordinates efforts from Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). More information about Operation Take Back America can be found at https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline.
