Jefferson Davis County Man Sentenced to One Year in Prison for Felon in Possession of a Firearm under Project EJECT

Hattiesburg, Miss. – Marves Fairley, 34, of Jefferson Davis County, was sentenced today by Senior U.S. District Judge Keith Starrett to 12 months and one day in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Special Agent in Charge Kurt Thielhorn with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.  Fairley was also ordered to pay a $10,000 fine.

Fairley was previously convicted of felonious possession of a controlled substance.  On October 16, 2019, while executing a search warrant at Fairley’s house, law enforcement found a firearm.

Fairley was indicted by a federal grand jury on November 19, 2019.  He pled guilty before Judge Starrett on January 30, 2020.

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) and Project Guardian. EJECT is a holistic, multi-disciplinary approach to fighting and reducing violent crime through prosecution, prevention, re-entry and awareness. EJECT stands for “Empower Justice Expel Crime Together.” PSN is bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics investigated the case. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Andrew W. Eichner.