Jackson, Miss. – Derrick Deondrey Minor, 42, of Jackson, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge Daniel P. Jordan III to five years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Special Agent in Charge Dana Nichols with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Minor was also ordered to pay a $1,500 fine.

On December 8, 2017, officers with the Jackson Police Department initiated a traffic stop which led to Minor’s arrest for possession of a loaded .40 caliber Glock, scales, crack cocaine, methamphetamine, and powder cocaine. Minor was indicted by a federal grand jury on August 7, 2018, and pled guilty before Judge Jordan on November 7, 2018.

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 case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Jackson Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kimberly T. Purdie.