De’Vadrick Booker, Assault on Officer, Jackson MS, 2023

JACKSON, MS – De’Vadrick Markevin Booker, 24, of Jackson, Mississippi, will spend the next twelve years in federal prison after a jury found him guilty of assaulting a federal law enforcement officer and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. Booker received the 144-month sentence on Wednesday, February 8, 2023, in U.S. District Court.

The incident unfolded on September 8, 2020, when an ATF agent was assisting Jackson Police with an investigation into reports of gunfire in a residential neighborhood. As the agent patrolled the area, Booker emerged and opened fire on the agent’s vehicle. Miraculously, the agent escaped without physical injury, but the agent’s vehicle sustained damage. The three-day trial, held in November 2022, presented the evidence leading to Booker’s conviction.

“But by the grace of God, this federal agent did not become a statistic,” declared U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca. “For the next 12 years, the citizens of Jackson are safer from this defendant. The U. S. Attorney’s office will not waiver in its commitment to prosecute those violent criminals who have no respect for the law or human life.” LaMarca’s office brought the charges and secured the conviction.

Kurt Thielhorn, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF New Orleans Field Division, highlighted the collaborative effort that led to Booker’s sentencing. “The collaborative effort of federal, state, and local law enforcement has led to the lengthy sentencing of this offender and is another example of our commitment to reduce violent crime in the City of Jackson and surrounding areas,” Thielhorn stated. “ATF will continue to work tirelessly to protect our communities and hold accountable those who threaten our safety.”

The ATF spearheaded the investigation into the shooting. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica S. Terrill, Kevin J. Payne, and Bert Carraway were responsible for prosecuting the case, building a solid case based on the evidence collected at the scene and presented during the trial. Booker’s actions put not only the agent’s life at risk but also the safety of residents in the surrounding neighborhood.

This sentencing sends a clear message: targeting law enforcement officers will be met with the full force of the federal justice system. Booker’s 12-year sentence should serve as a deterrent to others contemplating similar acts of violence. The investigation remains closed, and the ATF continues to monitor violent crime trends in the Jackson area.

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