Pearl River Man Pleads Guilty to Theft on Reservation

Jackson, MS - A Pearl River man pleaded guilty on July 7, 2026, to the charge of theft of a motor vehicle from the Choctaw Indian Reservation, announced U.S. Attorney Baxter Kruger of the Southern District of Mississippi, and Sheriff Eric Clark, Neshoba County Sheriff's Department.

According to court documents, Joshua Hickman, 30, of the Pearl River Community, unlawfully took a motor vehicle from the Silver Star Hotel & Casino of the Pearl River Resort. Court documents also stated that Hickman was driving the vehicle when he was stopped by a Neshoba County Deputy on October 25, 2025, during a routine traffic stop.

In January of 2026, a federal grand jury indicted Hickman on the charge. Hickman pleaded guilty to the charge and is scheduled to be sentenced on October 6, 2026. Hickman faces a maximum penalty of 5 years in prison. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney Baxter Kruger commended the work of the Neshoba County Sheriff's Department and the Choctaw Police Department of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians, who jointly investigated the case. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin J. Payne, Brian K. Burns, and Special Assistant United States Attorney Kalleigh McCoy.