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

Jackson, Miss. – Deviassi Adams, 41, of Jackson, pled guilty yesterday before U.S. District Court Judge Henry T. Wingate to possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Acting Special Agent in Charge Steven J. Jensen with the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

On September 10, 2018, the United States Marshals Service Gulf Coast Regional Fugitive Task Force arrived at a Jackson residence to serve a felony arrest warrant on Adams.  While conducting a protective sweep inside the home, task force members observed two firearms: one pistol and one AR-style rifle.  In a subsequent interview, Adams confessed to possessing both firearms.  Adams has previous convictions for manslaughter in Hinds County and other felony crimes.

On December 6, 2018, Adams was charged in a federal indictment with possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.   He will be sentenced on October 3, 2019, by Judge Wingate, and faces a maximum penalty of ten years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Bert Carraway.

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 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.  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.