OXFORD, Miss. – A Columbus man was sentenced today to eight years in prison for possessing firearms as a prior convicted felon.

According to court records, Tyson Jamal Hairston, 34, previously pled guilty to possessing two pistols after having been convicted of a felony offense. Officers located one firearm while serving Hairston with a state warrant for kidnapping at the Links at Oxford Apartments. During a search of Hairston’s Links apartment, officers located a second firearm and narcotics.

At a sentencing hearing on Thursday, U.S. District Court Judge Michael P. Mills sentenced Hairston to 96 months imprisonment followed by a three-year term of supervised release.

“Citizens have every right to expect that individuals who commit violent crimes and who use guns to commit those crimes will be removed from the streets and sentenced to prison,” remarked U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner. “This office will continue to work with all of our local, state and federal law enforcement partners to aggressively prosecute those individuals who choose to illegally possess and use guns in our communities.”

“Getting guns out of the hands of criminals is an essential element of the fight against violent crime and securing our neighborhoods,” said ATF New Orleans Field Division Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson. “The sentence imposed today sends a message to the community that convicted felons illegally possessing firearms will be held accountable as we work to keep our neighborhoods safe as a top priority for ATF.”

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case in partnership with the Oxford Police Department and the Lafayette County Metro Narcotics Unit.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie Howell Addison prosecuted the case.