Department of Justice
For Immediate Release
Jackson Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon While Firing at Officers During a High-Speed Pursuit
Jackson, Miss. – A Jackson man was sentenced to 120 months in prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon while firing at officers during a high-speed pursuit.
According to court documents, on July 21, 2021, Jerry Shannon McAlister, 47, failed to yield when officers with the Clinton Police Department attempted to conduct a traffic stop on the vehicle he was driving. This led to a high-speed pursuit into the city of Jackson with McAlister firing shots at an officer during the pursuit. McAlister has previous felony convictions, including a conviction for statutory rape. It is a violation of federal law for a convicted felon to possess any firearm.
U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee and Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) made the announcement.
The ATF and Clinton Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Allen prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.