Clinton man Darrell D. Moore, 22, is headed to federal prison for over 12 years after a violent carjacking that left a victim running for his life while Moore fired two shots in pursuit. Moore was sentenced Monday to 153 months in federal prison by Chief U.S. District Judge Daniel P. Jordan III, with an additional three years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $2,000 in restitution to the victim.
The crime unfolded on November 7, 2017, while Moore was on bond for a separate murder charge in Hinds County—highlighting the dangerous gaps in the justice system. Moore, along with Alexus Guster and Cedric Winfield, orchestrated a trap using Guster to lure the victim to a remote location in Jackson. Once there, Winfield and Moore ambushed the man, with Moore yanking him from the driver’s seat at gunpoint, stealing cash and the vehicle in a matter of seconds.
As the victim fled on foot, Moore didn’t hesitate—he opened fire, discharging his weapon twice toward the fleeing man. The shots missed, but the terror was real. Winfield drove the stolen vehicle to his residence, where Moore and Guster later met up to ransack the car for any remaining valuables. The cold calculation behind the crime shocked investigators and prosecutors alike.
Moore pleaded guilty on November 13, 2018, before Judge Barbour, admitting to carjacking and brandishing a firearm during a violent crime. Winfield, who drove the stolen car, entered a guilty plea on October 16, 2018, and now faces up to 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine at his upcoming sentencing. Guster, who lured the victim, pleaded guilty January 23, 2019, and was sentenced to time served and a $1,000 fine.
The case was jointly investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Jackson Police Department—agencies increasingly working in lockstep under Project EJECT, a federal initiative targeting violent repeat offenders in Mississippi’s hardest-hit areas. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mary Helen Wall and Kimberly Taft Purdie led the prosecution, ensuring Moore would not walk free to commit further crimes.
U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst didn’t mince words: “This is a great example of our office and law enforcement partners taking another violent criminal off the streets of Jackson.” He praised the collaboration between local cops, FBI agents, and prosecutors, emphasizing that justice was not only served for the system—but for the victim. Project EJECT, standing for ‘Empower Justice Expel Crime Together,’ operates under the DOJ’s broader Project Safe Neighborhoods, reignited in 2017 to dismantle violent crime networks through coordinated federal, state, and community action.
RELATED: Meth King Sentenced: 17 Years for Charlotte Drug Lord
RELATED: Kevin Clinton Convicted in $2.2M Mail Fraud Scheme
Related Federal Cases
- Jackson Men Sentenced in 2014 Hannah Drive Carjacking · Mississippi
- Mississippi Man Gets 9 Years for Memphis-Area Carjacking · Mississippi
- Masked Gunman Gets 9 Years in Memphis Carjacking · Mississippi
- Jackson Man Cops 10 Years for Bungled Gas Station Heist · Mississippi
- Jackson Woman Pleads Guilty in $50K Murder-for-Hire Plot · Mississippi
Key Facts
- State: Mississippi
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
🔒 Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
Browse More
MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS
Violent CrimeViolent CrimeViolent CrimeViolent Crime