Hattiesburg, Miss. – Alfred McCaskill, 25, of Hattiesburg, pled guilty today before Senior U.S. District Judge Keith Starrett to being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Special Agent in Charge Kurt Thielhorn with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

On February 27, 2019, McCaskill was found in possession of a firearm during a traffic stop in Forrest County.  He fled on foot and evaded law enforcement until his arrest in April 2019.  McCaskill was on state probation when he committed the offense.  He has prior felony convictions in Forrest County for possessing a stolen firearm and possessing a controlled substance (cocaine).  On July 24, 2019, he was charged in a federal criminal indictment with being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm.

McCaskill will be sentenced by Judge Starrett on February 5, 2020 at 10:15 a.m.  He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

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). 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. Former Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Hattiesburg Police Department investigated the case.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Andrew W. Eichner.