Jackson, Miss. – A Meridian man pleaded guilty today to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, announced U.S. Attorney Darren LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Kurt Thielhorn of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

According to court documents, Billy Ray Craven, 54, was found in possession of a firearm in his vehicle by officers of the Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Office on August 6, 2019, during a traffic stop.

Craven plead guilty to a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(1) which criminalizes the possession of firearms by convicted felons. He is scheduled to be sentenced on November 8, 2022 and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Office and the ATF are investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles W. Kirkham is prosecuting the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.