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Southern District of Mississippi Prosecutors Charge 13% More Cases During Fiscal Year 2024 Due to the Success of the Project Safe Neighborhoods Program
Tuesday, November 19, 2024
For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of Mississippi
Jackson, Miss. – United States Attorney Todd W. Gee announced today the results of efforts to increase federal prosecutions of violent criminals, narcotics traffickers and others during fiscal year 2024. Specifically, during fiscal year 2024, which began on October 1, 2023, and ended on September 30, 2024, prosecutors in the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi charged approximately 315 cases, an increase of approximately 13% over the prior fiscal year, and approximately 451 defendants, an increase of approximately 28% over the prior fiscal year.
This increase in prosecutions is due, in part, to the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) program, which is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN brings together federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
As part of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s PSN program, federal prosecutors meet regularly with law enforcement agencies and other partners in Jackson, Meridian, Hattiesburg, Gulfport, and elsewhere in order to review local arrests that may be suitable for prosecution in federal court, discuss efforts to investigate and prosecute violent offenders, and take other steps to reduce violent crime.
In addition to increasing the overall number of cases and defendants charged in fiscal year 2024, the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s PSN program helped increase the number of firearms-related cases filed by approximately 21%, and tripled the number of cases filed involving illegal machinegun conversion devices (MCDs), commonly known as “switches” or “auto sears,” which convert semi-automatic handguns and other firearms into fully automatic weapons (i.e., machineguns) in a matter of seconds.
“Our office is working hard with federal, state, and local partners to reduce violent crime, narcotics trafficking and other criminal activity throughout the Southern District of Mississippi,” said U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee. “Violent criminals and drug traffickers need to get the message: move on to other careers, or get ready to spend a large portion of your life in federal prison.”
Some of the case highlights from the PSN program and other violent crime and narcotics trafficking prosecutions in fiscal year 2024 include the following:
A video went viral in early 2024 in the Jackson, Mississippi area that showed a young man repeatedly firing a high caliber weapon from the window of a car towards another car at a very busy intersection in broad daylight. Weeks later, on February 9, 2024, a driver of that same car, Kylin Russell, evaded a roadblock and led officers with Capitol Police on a high-speed chase exceeding speeds of 120 miles per hour and lasting over 10 minutes. At the conclusion of the chase, he ran from police until he was caught. He discarded an AR-style firearm as he ran, and after he was detained, two handguns equipped with machine gun conversion devices (MCDs), also known as “switches,” were recovered from his vehicle. Russell pled guilty to firearms offenses and was sentenced to two years in prison.
U.S. v. Rosendo Gonzalez Mora, et. al.
In July 2024, five individuals with ties to Mexico pled guilty to felony offenses related to drug trafficking, firearms trafficking, and immigration offenses as a result of a law enforcement investigation involving sales of cocaine in Mississippi to purchase firearms and machine gun conversion devices for delivery to Mexico.
On November 23, 2023, Johnny Ragsdale was found in possession of an illegal machinegun after an attempted traffic stop on a vehicle he was driving in Jackson. Ragsdale failed to yield to law enforcement and led Capitol Police on a high-speed chase. The chase ended after Ragsdale collided with a train car on Mill Street. A Glock pistol was recovered from the vehicle, and a machinegun conversion device (MCD), also known as a “switch,” was attached to the pistol. Ragsdale pled guilty to illegal possession of a machinegun and is awaiting sentencing.
U.S. v. Damonik Shemikal Robinson
On January 2, 2024, Damonik Shemikal Robinson was a passenger in a vehicle that was stopped by Capitol Police for a traffic offense. Four firearms were in the vehicle, including three with attached machinegun conversion devices (MCD), also known as “switches.” Robinson admitted to owning one of two Glocks with an attached MCD that was recovered from the center console. Robinson pled guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and was sentenced to five years in prison.
In January 2024, over forty people in the Meridian area were charged in ten separate indictments with drug trafficking crimes, including distribution of methamphetamine, cocaine and other illegal drugs.
U.S. v. Jarvis Jermaine Hampton
On January 12, 2024, law enforcement officers discovered methamphetamine, a machinegun, and a pill press in the Meridian residence of Jarvis Jermaine Hampton. He pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and is awaiting sentencing.
On October 20, 2023, Ernest Quintez Clark, a convicted felon, possessed a firearm while attending a football game at Meridian High School. Clark had been previously convicted of aggravated assault in Louisiana. He pled guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and was sentenced to 60 months in prison.
U.S. v. Frederick Leshun Jones
On November 28, 2023, Frederick Jones, a convicted felon, was found in possession of three firearms when members of the U.S. Marshals Gulf Coast Fugitive Task Force went to his Meridian home to serve an outstanding arrest warrant. Jones pled guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and is awaiting sentencing.
On March 5, 2024, Koda Tye Williamson, a convicted felon, was found in possession of a firearm when law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at his residence in Simpson County. Williamson had previous convictions for manslaughter and methamphetamine possession. He pled guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and is awaiting sentencing.
On March 9, 2024, Russell David Parker, a convicted felon, was found in possession of a firearm during a traffic stop in Stone County. He pled guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and is awaiting sentencing.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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