A man from Meridian, Mississippi, was sentenced to 27 months in prison for possessing a machinegun. According to court records, Demetriz Romelo Hopson, 25, was found with a Glock 9mm handgun equipped with a machinegun conversion device, known as a "switch," during a football game at Meridian High School. Hopson pleaded guilty to the charges on January 8, 2025.
The announcement was made by Acting U.S. Attorney Patrick A. Lemon of the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson of the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The case was investigated by the ATF with support from the Meridian Schools Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Samuel Goff prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice aimed at combating illegal immigration, eliminating cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protecting communities from violent crime. Operation Take Back America coordinates efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.