Covington County Felon Pleads Guilty under Project EJECT to Illegally Possessing Firearm

Hattiesburg, Miss. – Alexander Knight, 32, of Seminary, pled guilty today before Senior U.S. District Court Judge Keith Starrett to being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Special Agent in Charge Michelle A. Sutphin of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Mississippi. 

On November 19, 2019, during the execution of an arrest warrant for Knight, Covington County Sheriff’s deputies and members of the U.S. Marshal’s Gulf Coast Regional Fugitive Task Force found a firearm on Knight’s person.  Following his arrest, but before the execution of the warrant associated with his federal indictment, Knight also managed to escape the Covington County Jail with two other inmates.  He remained at large for more than two weeks before being recaptured and transferred into federal custody.

Knight was originally indicted for this offense on January 29, 2020.  He will be sentenced on September 23, 2020 at 10:00 a.m.

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) and Project Guardian. 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. Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities.

Covington County Sheriff’s Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Andrew W. Eichner.