Jackson Man Sentenced to Almost Three Years in Prison under Project EJECT for Illegally Possessing Firearm

Jackson, Miss. – Michael Handford, 30, of Jackson, was sentenced today by Senior U.S. District Judge William H. Barbour III, to 35 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for illegally possessing a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Special Agent in Charge Dana Nichols with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Handford was also ordered to pay a $1,500 fine.

On October 24, 2017, members of the Jackson Police Department stopped the car in which Handford was a passenger for a traffic violation. Officers saw Handford attempting to hide a handgun under his seat as they approached the car. A records check revealed that Handford was a convicted felon and therefore could not legally possess firearms. Handford pled guilty before Judge Barbour on August 23, 2018, to being a felon in possession of a firearm.

The Jackson Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick Lemon.

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 program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Former 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.