Jackson Man Pleads Guilty to Illegally Possessing a Firearm under Project EJECT

Jackson, Miss. – Marcus Reese, 38, of Jackson, pled guilty Thursday before United States District Judge Daniel P. Jordan III, to being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Special Agent in Charge Dana Nichols of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF).

On September 8, 2017, law enforcement attempted to execute a search warrant at Marcus Reese’s apartment on O’Bannon Street in Jackson, Mississippi—a place suspected of illegal drug activity. As officers approached the apartment, Reese fled on foot through his apartment and ran out the back door. Officers ultimately stopped Reese and arrested him. They found a loaded Taurus .357 revolver in Reese’s pants pocket.

Reese has a previous conviction in Hinds County, Mississippi, for the felony offense of conspiracy to commit murder.

Reese will be sentenced in Jackson by Judge Daniel P. Jordan III on August 21, 2018, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, followed by up to 3 years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.

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). EJECT is a holistic, multi-disciplinary approach to fighting and reducing violent crime in Jackson through prosecution, prevention, re-entry and awareness. EJECT stands for "Empower Jackson Expel Crime Together." PSN is a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.

U.S. Attorney Hurst commended the work of the Jackson Police Department and their cooperation with ATF agents and Project EJECT task force members in the investigation of this case.