Federal Jury finds Jackson Man Guilty of Illegally Possessing a Firearm under Project EJECT

Jackson, Miss. - Jonathan Beasley, 28, of Jackson, was found guilty today by a jury of being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Michelle A. Sutphin, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Mississippi.  The jury returned the verdict following a two-day trial before Chief U.S. District Judge Daniel P. Jordan III in Jackson.

On December 20, 2016, Beasley was convicted of felonious possession with intent to distribute marijuana in Hinds County and was sentenced to time served.  On March 19, 2017, just three months after his conviction, Beasley was found with a firearm in his possession after wrecking his car at a gas station in Hinds County.  During a subsequent law enforcement interview, Beasley admitted to possessing the gun and to purchasing the gun off the street.

Beasley will be sentenced by Chief Judge Jordan on January 13, 2020 at 9:00 a.m. He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison 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 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.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Jackson Police Department investigated the case.  It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Andrew W. Eichner and Theodore Cooperstein.