A Columbus man was dealt a harsh sentence after being caught red-handed with two pistols at The Links at Oxford Apartments in Oxford, Mississippi.
Oxford, MS – Tyson Jamal Hairston, 34, of Columbus, was sentenced to eight years in prison for possessing firearms as a prior convicted felon. According to court records, Hairston previously pled guilty to possessing two pistols after having been convicted of a felony offense.
Officers located one firearm while serving Hairston with a state warrant for kidnapping at the Links at Oxford Apartments. During a search of Hairston’s Links apartment, officers located a second firearm and narcotics.
U.S. District Court Judge Michael P. Mills handed down the sentence following a heated sentencing hearing on Thursday. Hairston will serve 96 months imprisonment followed by a three-year term of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner weighed in on the sentence, stating, “Citizens have every right to expect that individuals who commit violent crimes and who use guns to commit those crimes will be removed from the streets and sentenced to prison.”
In a statement, ATF New Orleans Field Division Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson added, “Getting guns out of the hands of criminals is an essential element of the fight against violent crime and securing our neighborhoods. The sentence imposed today sends a message to the community that convicted felons illegally possessing firearms will be held accountable as we work to keep our neighborhoods safe.”
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case in partnership with the Oxford Police Department and the Lafayette County Metro Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie Howell Addison prosecuted the case, which is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence in communities across the nation.
Project Safe Neighborhoods brings together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, making neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in communities, supporting community-based organizations that prevent violence, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring results.
Related Federal Cases
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- Natchez Man Pleads Guilty to Gun Possession Under Felony Indictment · Mississippi
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Key Facts
- State: Mississippi
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Violent Crime|Weapons
- Source: Official Source ↗
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