Hattiesburg Man Sentenced to Nearly Three Years in Prison for Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon

Hattiesburg, MS - A Hattiesburg man was sentenced to 35 months in prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

According to court documents, Scotty James Conley, 40, of was found by the Forrest County Sheriff's Office to be in possession of a firearm after responding to a complaint of a residential disturbance. Conley has a prior felony conviction from 2008 for sexual battery of a minor under 14 years of age. As a convicted felon he is prohibited by federal law from possessing a firearm or ammunition.

Conley was indicted by a federal grand jury on January 10, 2023. He pled guilty on January 27, 2025.

Acting U.S. Attorney Patrick A. Lemon of the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Robert Eikhoff of the Federal Bureau of Investigation made the announcement.

The FBI and Forrest County Sheriff's Office investigated the case.

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

This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline), a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department's Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).