Two-Time Convicted Felon Pleads Guilty under Project EJECT to Illegally Possessing a Firearm

Jackson, Miss – Hakeem Burnett, 30, of Jackson, pled guilty today before U.S. District Court Judge Henry T. Wingate to possessing a firearm after having been previously convicted of a felony crime, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Michelle A. Sutphin, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Mississippi.

On November 15, 2019, Vicksburg Police officers and FBI Task Force officers apprehended Burnett in Vicksburg pursuant to a warrant out of Hinds County for Drug Court violations.  Burnett was in possession of a firearm at the time he was apprehended.  Burnett has previous convictions for house burglary and being a felon in possession of a firearm.

On January 15, 2020, Burnett was charged in a federal criminal indictment with possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. He will be sentenced on September 22, 2020 at 9:30 a.m. by Judge Wingate.  He faces a statutory penalty of up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

This case was investigated by the Vicksburg Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Bert Carraway.

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.