Jackson, Miss. — A 30-year-old man with a violent criminal past is headed to federal prison after being caught with a gun during a routine checkpoint. Courtney Kentrell Chapman, of Jackson, was sentenced to 90 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Henry T. Wingate, followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and ATF Special Agent in Charge Dana K. Nichols.
Chapman’s criminal record runs deep. Prior convictions in Hinds County include accessory after the fact to carjacking, felony eluding, and possession of a controlled substance while armed—crimes that legally barred him from possessing any firearm. Despite that, on August 15, 2018, he was found with a loaded gun during an administrative checkpoint in Jackson, blatantly violating federal law.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Jackson Police Department launched an immediate investigation. Evidence tied Chapman directly to the firearm. He was indicted on December 12, 2018, and on February 12, 2019, entered a guilty plea before Judge Wingate—no trial, no excuses, just accountability.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew W. Eichner prosecuted the case, emphasizing Chapman’s repeated disregard for the law. The sentence sends a clear message: armed felons will be hunted down and locked up. The checkpoint stop wasn’t a fluke—it was law enforcement doing its job in a city plagued by gun violence.
This case falls under Project EJECT, the Southern District of Mississippi’s aggressive anti-violence initiative. EJECT—“Empower Justice Expel Crime Together”—is part of the Department of Justice’s broader Project Safe Neighborhoods. Spearheaded by former Attorney General Jeff Sessions in 2017, PSN re-energized federal efforts to dismantle cycles of violent crime through coordinated prosecution and community engagement.
Chapman’s 7.5-year sentence isn’t just punishment—it’s prevention. Every illegal gun taken off the streets is one fewer used in a future robbery, assault, or homicide. With Jackson’s violent crime rate stubbornly high, federal and local authorities are doubling down. For offenders like Chapman, the message is clear: you’re not just breaking the law—you’re on federal radar.
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Key Facts
- State: Mississippi
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Weapons
- Source: Official Source ↗
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