Hakeem Burnett, Convicted Felon Firearms Possession, Mississippi 2020

Hakeem Burnett, a 30-year-old resident of Jackson, Mississippi, has pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Michelle A. Sutphin, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Mississippi.

On November 15, 2019, Vicksburg Police officers and FBI Task Force officers apprehended Burnett in Vicksburg pursuant to a warrant out of Hinds County for Drug Court violations. Burnett was in possession of a firearm at the time he was apprehended. Burnett has previous convictions for house burglary and being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Burnett will be sentenced on September 22, 2020 at 9:30 a.m. by Judge Henry T. Wingate. He faces a statutory penalty of up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

This case was investigated by the Vicksburg Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Bert Carraway.

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) and Project Guardian. 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. Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities.

Hakeem Burnett, a two-time convicted felon, has pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm as a convicted felon in Mississippi. He faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The case is part of Project EJECT, a multi-disciplinary approach to fighting and reducing violent crime.

This case is a major success for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi and the Federal Bureau of Investigation in reducing violent crime in the state. The Project EJECT initiative is bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.

Hakeem Burnett will be sentenced on September 22, 2020 at 9:30 a.m. by Judge Henry T. Wingate. He has pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm as a convicted felon in Mississippi and faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdms/pr/two-time-convicted-felon-pleads-guilty-under-project-eject-illegally-possessing-firearm