A Jackson man stood before a federal judge today to admit he helped orchestrate a violent armed robbery at a Dollar General store in April 2018. Darryl De’Monte Thompson, 30, of Jackson, pleaded guilty to one count of armed robbery and one count of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence, according to court documents unsealed today.
On April 6, 2018, Thompson and co-defendant Jalen Simmons stormed the Dollar General on Briarwood Drive. While Simmons stormed inside, gun in hand, demanding cash from the register, Thompson acted as the lookout. When the cashier couldn’t open the drawer, Simmons turned to customers, robbing them at gunpoint. The heist unraveled seconds later when Jackson Police Department officers intercepted both men fleeing the scene.
Thompson’s fate now rests with U.S. District Judge Carlton Reeves, who will sentence him on August 23, 2019, at 9:00 a.m. He faces a mandatory minimum of seven years and up to life in prison for brandishing the firearm, plus a maximum of 20 years on the robbery charge. The severity of the sentence reflects the federal crackdown on gun-fueled street crime.
His accomplice, Jalen Simmons, already faced justice. Simmons pleaded guilty on December 17, 2018, and was sentenced on March 22, 2019, to seven years and one day in federal prison. That sentence ensures eligibility for early release programs—but only after serving the bulk of his term.
The case was jointly investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Jackson Police Department, a partnership central to Project EJECT, the federal initiative targeting violent offenders in Mississippi’s most crime-ridden areas. Assistant United States Attorney Kimberly Purdie prosecuted the case with a focus on holding both principals and accomplices accountable.
Project EJECT—Empower Justice Expel Crime Together—is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s broader Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), revitalized under former Attorney General Jeff Sessions in 2017. The program combines aggressive prosecution with community outreach, re-entry support, and prevention strategies to dismantle cycles of violence. In Jackson, it’s sending a clear message: armed robbery won’t be tolerated.
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Key Facts
- State: Mississippi
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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