Brandon Man Sentenced to Seven Years in Prison Under Project EJECT for Illegally Possessing a Firearm

Jackson, Miss. – Joel Wendell Beckham, 32, of Brandon, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge David C. Bramlette III to 84 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst, FBI Special Agent in Charge Christopher Freeze, and U.S. Marshal Mark Shepherd. Beckham was also ordered to pay a $1,500 fine.

On January 4, 2018, members of the U.S. Marshal Service Gulf Coast Regional Fugitive Task Force executed an arrest warrant and apprehended Joel Wendell Beckham at a residence in Jackson on a felony warrant from the Rankin County Sheriff’s Department for failure to appear for a revocation hearing. Upon making entry, task force officers made contact with Beckham in the rear bedroom. A KAHR, .40 caliber, semi-automatic pistol and a clear plastic bag with methamphetamine was found under the desk where Beckham was standing. During an interview, Beckham admitted to possession of the weapon.

Beckham was previously convicted in the Circuit Court of Rankin County for the felony offense of conspiracy to transfer a controlled substance.

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.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Marshal Service Gulf Coast Regional Fugitive Task Force. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Keesha D. Middleton.