Jackson County Man Pleads Guilty to Being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm

Gulfport, Miss. - A Jackson County man pleaded guilty to being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Kurt Thielhorn, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

According to court documents, Ledarrius Jamontaie Forrest, 30, of Moss Point, was arrested on August 21, 2020, after a state search warrant was served at a Moss Point residence where Forrest was the sole occupant.  During the search, a rifle, ammunition, and narcotics were found.  The firearm, a Norinco, Model MAK90 Sporter, 7.62 rifle, was reported stolen. 

Forrest was confirmed to have two state felony convictions from the Circuit Court of Jackson County.  He had been convicted of possession of controlled substance, for which he ultimately was sentenced to serve a term of 3 years in the custody of the Mississippi Department of Corrections.    

Forrest is scheduled to be sentenced on Tuesday, October 5, 2021, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.  A higher maximum penalty of 15 years to life can apply if a defendant is determined to be an Armed Career Criminal. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, the Jackson County Metro Enforcement Task Force, and the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stan Harris.

This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime.  Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them.  As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.