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Jackson, Miss. – Justin Stabler, 31, of Harrison County, Mississippi, pled guilty yesterday before U.S. District Judge Henry T. Wingate to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Special Agent in Charge Dana Nichols, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
On the morning of September 1, 2017, officers from the Jackson Police Department responded to 911 calls from the Belhaven Heights neighborhood concerning a man walking down the street brandishing a firearm at another individual. While responding to the area, officers spotted Stabler walking down the street carrying a revolver in his hand. Stabler was taken into custody without incident, and officers quickly determined that he was a convicted felon who was on parole and residing at a halfway house in another area of Jackson. Because Stabler was a convicted felon, he was prohibited from possessing either a firearm or ammunition under federal law. The firearm Stabler possessed was a large caliber Taurus “Judge” revolver loaded with five .410 gauge shotgun shells. The firearm was later determined to have been stolen.
United States Attorney Mike Hurst praised the efforts of vigilant citizens in Belhaven Heights and the responsiveness of Jackson police officers. “These concerned residents and the Jackson Police Department should be commended for their cooperation in this case, resulting in a criminal being quickly located, arrested and removed from our community before he could do more harm. These types of collaborative efforts are one of the most effective ways to make our neighborhoods safer and more secure,” said U.S. Attorney Hurst.
Stabler had previously been convicted of multiple state felony offenses in Harrison and Jackson Counties, including burglary, theft of a motor vehicle, possession of a weapon by a convicted felon, and possession of counterfeit currency.
Stabler will be sentenced by Judge Wingate on May 21, 2018, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine.
The case was investigated by the Jackson Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dave Fulcher.