Mississippi Man Sentenced to 147 months for Fentanyl and Gun Convictions
Oxford, MS – Jarvis Wright, 46, was sentenced today to 147 months in prison following his guilty plea to distribution of fentanyl, possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense in Bolivar County, Mississippi.
Wright was sentenced following a guilty plea to a multicount indictment which charged him for the sale of a substance containing fentanyl to a confidential informant in Cleveland, Mississippi in 2022. Wright also pled guilty to a separate possession of fentanyl with intent charge. In that instance, Wright possessed a handgun at the time of his arrest. He admitted as part of his plea that he possessed the handgun in furtherance of his drug trafficking activities.
Chief U.S. District Court Judge Debra M. Brown sentenced Wright to 147 total months imprisonment followed by a 60-month term of supervised release. 60 months of the total sentence imposed was for possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. That charge requires that a mandatory minimum sentence be imposed.
“The distribution of fentanyl and other illegal drugs has had a devastating impact on the Mississippi Delta region and our country. The risks that these poisons hold is amplified when drug dealers carry firearms.” said U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner. “This prosecution and sentence should send a message that those who distribute poison into the community will be held to account and punished accordingly. Fentanyl cannot be tolerated in our state.”
“This sentence sends a clear message: those who peddle deadly fentanyl in our communities, especially while armed, will face severe consequences,” said DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge Anessa Daniels-McCaw. “We are dedicated to protecting the citizens of Mississippi from the devasting impact of these narcotics. This lengthy sentence reflects our commitment to holding drug traffickers accountable and restoring safety to our neighborhoods.”
The Mississippi Bureau of Narcotic and the Drug Enforcement Agency investigated this matter.
Assistant U.S. Attorney John Herzog Jr. prosecuted the case.
