Department of Justice
For Immediate Release
Moss Point Man Pleads Guilty to Firearm Offense
Gulfport, Miss. – A Moss Point man pleaded guilty to being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Kurt Thielhorn of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
According to information presented to the Court, on February 8, 2021, Bayliss Morris Jenkins, 43, was taken into custody by Moss Point Police officers after a traffic stop for operating a vehicle with a switched tag. The defendant possessed two handguns in his vehicle.
Jenkins had prior felony convictions for possession of a controlled substance, aggravated assault, and a felon in possession of a firearm.
Jenkins was indicted on June 15, 2021 for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Jenkins is scheduled to be sentenced on February 15, 2022. He faces a maximum sentence of ten years imprisonment. However, if Jenkins qualifies as an armed career criminal, he will face a minimum sentence of 15 years imprisonment and a maximum sentence of life. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Moss Point Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Buckner is prosecuting the case.