Jackson, Miss. – A Jackson man was sentenced to 73 months in federal prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, announced U.S. Attorney Darren LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Jermicha Fomby of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Mississippi.

According to court documents, on November 22, 2019, while FBI agents were conducting surveillance on Robinson Road and Ellis Avenue, law enforcement officers attempted to stop a vehicle driven by Akoyea Jamere Clayton, 29, of Jackson.  Clayton refused to stop and fled through several residential areas.  A semi-automatic styled rifle was tossed from the passenger window loaded with several live rounds of ammunition.  Police units were able to bring the vehicle to stop, but the passenger fled.  Clayton was apprehended on scene.

Clayton pled guilty on February 2, 2022, to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

The case is the result of an extensive investigation, dubbed “Hailstorm,” which began as an operation targeting illegal drug trafficking in the Jackson, Mississippi area. “Hailstorm” is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Jackson Police Department.  It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Keesha Middleton.