Hattiesburg, Miss. – A Hattiesburg man pled guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Brad Byerley of the Drug Enforcement Administration.

According to court records, on February 6, 2020, Julius Daniels, 34, was driving a vehicle which was stopped by a Hattiesburg Police officer.  Based on an odor of marijuana, the vehicle was searched and a firearm was found in the glove compartment.  Daniels had previously been convicted of sale of a controlled substance in Forrest County.

Daniels was indicted for this offense on May 11, 2021.  He will be sentenced on February 15, 2022 and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.  A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, and the Hattiesburg Police Department.

Assistant United States Attorney Andrew W. Eichner is prosecuting the case.

This case is being prosecuted as part of the federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program.  The centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s crime reduction efforts, PSN is an evidence-based program proven effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together and develop comprehensive solutions. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.