Petal man sentenced to 30 years for sexual battery of a child

Biloxi, Mississippi – District Attorney W. Crosby Parker announced today that 35-year-old Jordin Earl Holmes, of Petal, Mississippi pled guilty today to Sexual Battery and Touching of a Child for Lustful Purposes.

Circuit Court Judge Lisa P. Dodson imposed a 30-year sentence for the Sexual Battery charge and suspended 14 of those years, leaving Holmes 16 years to serve, day-for-day, in the Mississippi Department of Corrections.

In addition, Holmes received 15 years for the Touching of Child for Lustful Purposes, which will run concurrent with the Sexual Battery sentence.

According to Assistant District Attorney Mara Joffe, who prosecuted the case on behalf of the State, Biloxi police officers first responded to Memorial Hospital in Gulfport on November 16, 2021, in reference to sexual abuse allegations involving a then 8-year-old victim, who named Holmes as the perpetrator.

After learning that the victim had reported the sexual abuse and the police were looking for him, Holmes sent numerous text messages threatening suicide and confessing, in part, to his crimes.

A short time later, Biloxi police officers located Holmes in a wooded area between Veterans Avenue and McDonnell Avenue, where Holmes had slit his throat with a box cutter. Holmes recovered from his suicide attempt and subsequently made further incriminating statements to investigators with the Biloxi Police Department.

During his plea, the Defendant admitted to engaging in sexual acts with the victim and apologized to the victim’s family and the court.

Prior to imposing her sentence, Judge Dodson remarked that the victim had trusted Holmes, that Holmes “breached that trust,” and that the victim’s innocence was “stolen” as a result of his actions.