Former Jackson County deputy sentenced to 20 years for embezzlement of public funds
Gulfport, MS – District Attorney W. Crosby Parker announced today that Johnny Ray Jefferson, age 52, pled guilty in Pascagoula to Embezzlement by a Public Employee for theft of $37,330.00 from the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office seizure account.
Judge Kathy Jackson sentenced Jefferson, a first-time offender, to 20 years, with 15 years suspended, and 5 years to serve on the Intensive Supervision Program, with the balance of his time on post-release supervision.
Jefferson also returned all of the embezzled funds to the FBI and Circuit Clerk prior to the time of his guilty plea.
“The investigation began on December 3, 2022, after funds were discovered missing from a U.S. Border Patrol interdiction on I-10. A large cash seizure was taken from a suspect and brought to the South Mississippi Metro Enforcement Team Office for processing. Defendant Jefferson participated in processing those funds which was over $125,000 in various denominations. The Met. Team followed their usual and proper procedures in processing the currency. However, the next day, when the funds were again counted at the bank during the deposit, it was determined there were missing funds. Specifically, all of the $50 bills were missing from the currency count. The packaging was then inspected by the Met. Team, and it showed signs of tampering. The Met. Team reviewed surveillance of the processing area which revealed that Defendant Jefferson had entered the vault and handled the package after it was secured. A closer review of the package revealed that cash was missing after Jefferson returned and removed the package” said Chris Daniel, who was assigned as the Special Prosecutor on the case.
“The FBI Task Force was contacted by the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office to take over the investigation. During the course of the investigation, Jefferson was interviewed by a supervisor where he confessed to taking the funds, and he returned $13,400 at the time of the interview. This was the amount missing from the U.S.B.P. seizure on 12/2/22. A full review of video footage from the Met. Team office was done over a four-month period between August 2022 and December 2022, and it revealed evidence that on four occasions Jefferson had removed money from seizure packages. The total amount taken was determined to be $37,330.00,” said Daniel.
During the sentencing, Daniel acknowledged Jefferson’s repayment of funds, and cooperation with the investigation and prosecution, but argued that Jefferson should serve time in prison because, “There is no excuse for the breach of trust to this community, especially from someone charged and sworn to enforce the laws of the State,” said Daniel.
During the plea, Jefferson stated, “I apologize to the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI Safe Streets Task Force. I lied, I stole, and I am very sorry for it. I am also sorry to my friends and family.” Judge Jackson acknowledged letters of support written by members of the community prior to handing down her sentence.
“We accepted this case as a special assignment from the Jackson County District Attorney. It is a great disappointment to see someone with over three decades of service to the community end their career with a crime involving their duties. We cannot tolerate these breaches of public trust, and we must hold the offenders accountable,” said DA Parker.
