Mississippi man with previous drug conviction faces life in prison after pleading guilty to possessing methamphetamine.

A Meridian man pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

According to court documents, Jeremy Lovell, 44, was found in possession of approximately 630 grams of methamphetamine, and two firearms on May 3, 2022, during the execution of a search warrant at Lovell’s residence. Lovell has prior convictions for burglary of a commercial building and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. As a convicted felon it is contrary to federal law for Lovell to possess any firearm.

Lovell is scheduled to be sentenced on December 12, 2023, and faces a maximum penalty of life in prison. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Department, Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, and the ATF investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam T. Stuart is prosecuting the case.

This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.