Walnut Grove Man Cuffed for Illegal Gun Possession

Matthew J. Underwood, 45, of Walnut Grove, is headed to federal prison for 55 months after being caught with a loaded 12-gauge shotgun at his home — a weapon he’s legally forbidden from touching. The sentence, handed down today by U.S. District Judge Carlton Reeves, marks the latest fall for a man with a long-standing, violent history with firearms.

On August 7, 2018, law enforcement officers conducting a routine residence check at Underwood’s home stumbled on the loaded shotgun and a box of 12-gauge shells. The discovery triggered immediate federal charges for being a felon in possession of a firearm — a crime Underwood has committed before, both in state and federal court. He was on parole for a Scott County conviction on the same charge when this incident went down.

Underwood’s rap sheet includes prior federal convictions in the Southern District of Mississippi for assaulting a law enforcement officer with a firearm and for illegally possessing a gun as a felon. This pattern of behavior didn’t earn him leniency — instead, Judge Reeves ordered 55 months behind bars, followed by three years of supervised release, and slapped him with a $1,000 fine.

The investigation was a multi-agency effort, led by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with support from the Sebastopol Police Department, the Mississippi Department of Corrections, and the Leake County Sheriff’s Department. Their coordination peeled back the layers on a repeat offender who continued to flout federal law while under state supervision.

Prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Kimberly T. Purdie, who emphasized the danger posed by armed felons with violent histories. “Underwood’s access to a loaded firearm wasn’t just illegal — it was a ticking threat to his community,” she said in a statement following sentencing.

Underwood will serve his time in federal custody, with no early release. The case underscores the federal crackdown on repeat gun offenders, especially those who reoffend while on parole. For the residents of Walnut Grove, it’s one less loaded weapon on the streets — for now.