A Belzoni man has been found guilty of being involved in a firearm trafficking scheme from north Mississippi to Chicago and lying to authorities when purchasing the weapons.
Investigators began looking into Jarvis Hood, 23, when federal law enforcement agents noticed that an uptick of guns recovered from crime scenes in the Windy City had originally been purchased in the Magnolia State. According to court documents, some of the firearms involved in crimes had been purchased in Mississippi as recently as one day before being used in a new criminal offense in Chicago.
Several of the weapons were recovered in violent crimes and had machinegun devices attached that converted the firearms to be able to fire automatically. In total, investigators identified over 60 firearms that were purchased illegally and transported to Chicago for resale. Five defendants previously pled guilty for their roles in the offense.
Hood was charged with conspiracy to transfer firearms to out-of-state residents and to make false statements to federal firearms licensees during firearms purchases. After a five-day trial, a federal jury returned a verdict Monday finding Hood guilty of the offense. His sentencing is scheduled to take place on February 4, 2025.
“This defendant and his cohorts profited and contributed to the gun violence plaguing Chicago by illegally trafficking in firearms,” U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner said. “AUSAs Julie Addison and Sam Stringfellow led an interagency team that has helped to stem the flow of illegal firearms from Mississippi to Chicago while also ensuring that the defendant will be held accountable for his criminal actions.”
The case was investigated by the Chicago Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, with assistance from the ATF Oxford Field Office. Valuable contributions were made by the Chicago Police Department, Wilmette Police Department, and Amtrak Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Julie Addison and Samuel Stringfellow prosecuted the case.
