41 year-old Santoria L. French of Hattiesburg and 37 year-old Lemont Antoine Jackson of Jackson each entered guilty pleas to felony charges yesterday.
French entered a guilty plea to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine. Jackson, a three time convicted felon, pled guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Jackson transported a Yugoslavian 7.62 caliber rifle with two 30 round magazines from the City of Jackson to Hattiesburg, which he sold to an undercover agent for $530 on May 25th, 2017.
The Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms conducted an undercover operation in Hattiesburg during 2016-2017 targeting persons selling illegal narcotics and firearms. French, who had no prior felony convictions, sold a confidential informant cocaine and firearms on at least 12 different occasions between October 17th, 2016, and February 9th, 2017.
Agents were also able to identify and purchase narcotics from French’s supplier, Thomas Michael Jordan, a/k/a “Big Mike,” who entered a guilty plea to the conspiracy charge in June 2018.
French will be sentenced on October 2nd, 2018, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine.
Jackson will be sentenced on September 18th, 2018, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
