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

Jackson, Miss. – Jerrod Domonique Cowards, 25, of Jackson, was sentenced today by Senior United States District Judge Tom S. Lee to serve 37 months in federal prison, followed by 3 years supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst. Cowards was also ordered to pay a $1,500.00 fine.

On May 1, 2018, officers with the Clinton Police Department were on patrol in the area of Highway 80 and Shaw Road in Clinton, Mississippi. One officer noticed a silver Ford Fusion on the road without the tag illuminated as required by law. The officer stopped the vehicle and noticed an odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle. The officer ultimately searched the vehicle and found a firearm underneath the front passenger seat where Cowards was sitting. Cowards admitting to possessing the firearm that was found underneath his seat. Cowards had a prior felony conviction from Rankin County Circuit Court in 2011.  

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Clinton Police Department, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.  It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Erin Chalk.

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.