Convicted Felon Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison Under Project EJECT for Illegally Possessing a Firearm

Jackson, Miss. – John Overby, 49, of Brandon, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge Daniel P. Jordan III to 60 months in federal prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Christopher Freeze, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Mississippi. Overby was also ordered to pay a $1,500.00 fine.

On March 13, 2018, the Rankin County Sheriff’s Department conducted an undercover operation that resulted in deputies purchasing a firearm from Overby. Overby has a previous felony conviction for theft of a motor vehicle.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Rankin County Sherriff’s Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Chris Wansley.

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). 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. 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.