Gulfport Man Receives Over Five Years in Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing a Gun as a Drug User

Gulfport, Miss. – Jaquan Deshawn Carter, 21, of Gulfport, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Sul Ozerden to 64 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for illegally possessing a firearm as a drug user, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Special Agent in Charge Dana Nichols with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

On September 6, 2015, Gulfport Police received a complaint of a person in a car flashing a gun. When officers stopped the car, they smelled the odor of marijuana. Officers found bullets in the backseat and a .44 caliber revolver in the seat pocket with Carter sitting in the backseat. Carter admitted the gun was his, which he explained he had for protection. On September 14, 2015, Gulfport police stopped a car, in which Carter was a passenger, whereby the police smelled a strong odor of burnt marijuana. Police found a .22 caliber handgun with an obliterated serial number in Carter’s pocket. In an interview, Carter admitted that he smoked marijuana every day since the age of 9.

Gulfport Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Annette Williams.