Joe Crawford, Illegal Gun Trafficking, Mississippi 2021

Joe Crawford, 68, Sentenced to 121 Months in Prison for Selling Firearms to Convicted Felon

Oxford, Miss. – Former bail bondsman Joe Crawford was sentenced to 121 months in prison for knowingly selling firearms to a convicted felon.

According to court documents and testimony presented at trial, law enforcement began investigating an increase in firearms-related violence in the Cleveland, Mississippi area in 2018. FBI and ATF began working with local investigators to identify the individuals responsible for shootings in the area and to identify individuals supplying the shooters with the guns.

During the investigation, agents identified Joe Crawford as an individual who supplied firearms to felons. Upon identifying Crawford as a potential source of illegal firearms, law enforcement utilized a confidential informant (CI) to conduct controlled purchases of firearms from Crawford.

During the ensuing investigation, the CI purchased a total of ten firearms from Crawford on two occasions in transactions that were recorded on video and audio. Among the firearms sold by Crawford were multiple semi-automatic rifles that included 20 and 30 round magazines, a ‘bump stock’ which is a device that can be attached to a firearm to cause it to fire in rapid succession, and several pistols.

After the controlled buys, agents executed a federal search warrant at Crawford’s home. During the search, 379 firearms were found and examined, and approximately fifty firearms were seized. Two of the firearms were stolen, and another two firearms had obliterated serial numbers.

‘The illegal sale of firearms often puts guns directly in the hands of criminals and others who are prohibited by law from legally possessing firearms,’ noted Acting U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner. ‘We will continue to work with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to aggressively prosecute those individuals who choose to fuel violent crime by trafficking firearms.’

The investigation resulted in the prosecution and conviction of 18 defendants. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sam Stringfellow and Philip Levy prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime.

Defendant: Joe Crawford

Criminal Charges: Knowingly selling multiple firearms to a convicted felon

City and State: Oxford, Mississippi

Exact Date: September 15, 2021

Sentence or Outcome: 121 months in prison

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