Jackson Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison under Project EJECT for Being an Armed Career Criminal Possessing a Firearm

Jackson, Miss – Loucious Collins, 37, of Jackson, was sentenced Tuesday, by U.S. District Judge David C. Bramlette III, to 15 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release for being an armed career criminal in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Special Agent in Charge Christopher Freeze with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in Mississippi. Collins was also required to forfeit the firearm.

On June 8, 2017, the FBI assisted the Mississippi Alcohol Beverage Control in executing a search warrant a V Live Club in Jackson. During the search of the business, Collins, an employee of the club, was questioned by a Mississippi Alcohol Beverage Control officer and admitted to being in possession of a firearm and to being a convicted felon. Because Collins has four previous felony convictions for house burglary, one previous conviction for business burglary, and one previous conviction for possession of a deadly weapon while an inmate at the Delta Correctional Facility, he is classified as an Armed Career Criminal under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. On February 6, 2018, he was charged in a federal indictment with being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm in violation of 18 U.S.C. §922(g)(1). He pled guilty on August 28, 2018.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Mississippi Alcohol Beverage Control investigated the case. It 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 in Jackson through prosecution, prevention, re-entry and awareness. EJECT stands for "Empower Jackson Expel Crime Together." PSN is a program 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.