Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

Gulfport, Mississippi – Nicholas Brown, Jr., 25, of Jackson County, Mississippi was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Sul Ozerden, to 60 months in federal prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Special Agent in Charge Kurt Thielhorn with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). Brown was also ordered to pay a $5,000 fine.

On December 21, 2018, Brown was arrested on multiple, unrelated warrants. During an investigation, multiple firearms, cash and marijuana were recovered in the residence where Brown was living. Brown admitted that his fingerprints would be found on all of the firearms and that vacuum sealed bags found in the residence were from marijuana that he purchased and repackaged for sale. The investigation also revealed text messages that indicated Brown was involved in the distribution of controlled substances and photos of Brown with controlled substances and firearms.

On June 12, 2019, Brown was charged in a federal criminal indictment. He pled guilty before Judge Ozerden on December 20, 2019, to one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

The case was investigated by the ATF and the Gautier Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Shundral Cole.

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) and Project Guardian. 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. Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities.

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