Crystal Springs Man Sentenced to Statutory Maximum of 15 Years Imprisonment for Felon in Possession of a Firearm

Jackson, MS - A Crystal Springs man was sentenced today to 15 years in prison for felon in possession of a firearm, which is the statutory maximum.

According to court documents, on December 29, 2024, Crystal Springs Police found Anthony Charles Wilson, 48, in possession of a firearm when executing a warrant for his arrest for rape. The victim of the rape identified the firearm found on Wilson as the same firearm he used during the course of sexually assaulting her, in the presence of her minor child, on a date prior to his arrest. On March 4, 2025, a federal grand jury returned an indictment against Wilson for felon in possession of a firearm, and on September 8, 2025, Wilson pled guilty to possessing the firearm on the day of his arrest. Wilson will not be eligible for parole in his federal sentence because there is no parole in the federal system. He now faces a six-count indictment in Copiah County for rape, kidnapping (two counts), aggravated assault (two counts), and armed robbery. Those charges are separate from and in addition to the federal charge for which he has now been sentenced to 15 years.

U.S. Attorney J.E. Baxter Kruger of the Southern District of Mississippi, and Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) made the announcement.

The ATF and Crystal Springs Police Department investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Allen prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which is the Department of Justice's nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys' offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department's commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump's Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.