DOJ Seal

Department of Justice

U.S. Attorney's Office
Southern District of Mississippi

For Immediate Release

Monday, October 1, 2018
Mike Hurst
, United States Attorney

FBI Impersonator Sentenced to 19 Years in Federal Prison

Gulfport, Miss. – Troy Graham, 35, of Louisiana, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Sul Ozerden to 229 months in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for extortion, brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a robbery, and possession of a firearm by a felon, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Special Agent in Charge Dana Nichols with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives ("ATF"). He was also ordered to pay $12,275 in restitution and a $10,000 fine.

Beginning in January 2017, Graham impersonated a federal agent and demanded drugs and money from a Kiln, Mississippi, marijuana dealer by threatening the dealer with false arrest warrants and imprisonment. Graham required the Kiln victim deliver money, marijuana, guns and other items as "forfeiture" to New Orleans to avoid arrest. Graham also forced the local dealer into contacting his source of supply in California and obtained $72,000 of marijuana. When the California dealer arrived in Hancock County to collect his money, Graham held the dealer at gunpoint demanding money and to know his source of supply. The extortion and robberies were reported to the ATF, who set up a sting operation. While Graham pressed the local dealer for more sources and what he called "forfeiture," ATF posed as a marijuana source from Colorado. ATF arrested Graham in a D’Iberville parking lot when he showed up with a loaded gun to rob the alleged Colorado dealer.

On March 16, 2018, Graham entered guilty pleas to extortion, brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a robbery, and possession of a firearm by a felon.

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Annette Williams.

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New Orleans Field Division