Deadly Dixie pipeline: How Mississippi guns wind up in hands of Chicago gangs
Published 3:01 pm Thursday, August 29, 2019
Juan Cloy, a former undercover agent with the FBI, said it's difficult to determine where guns purchased in Mississippi come from due to the state’s permissive gun laws.
Some of the items in high demand at a gun show in Jackson, Mississippi, are pistols that are equipped with several accessories — such as a high-capacity magazine — making them similar to short rifles, but without the same federal regulations.
Additionally, prosecutors pointed to text messages between Smalley and his brother as evidence Smalley knew what the guns were being used for.
In one exchange, Smalley’s brother said: “OK and I shot somebody he ain’t dead doe.”
Smalley replied: “Don’t text it. Call me later.”
The judge sentenced him to 5½ years in prison. He is housed at a federal prison in Beaumont, Texas, and scheduled for release in 2023.
Craig Fries, a special agent with the Chicago division of the ATF, referred to Smalley’s involvement in gun trafficking as “particularly troublesome in this city, at this time.”
With help from Mississippi, it shows little signs of slowing.
This story was produced in conjunction with the Juvenile Justice Information Exchange and published with the Mississippi Center for Investigative Reporting. It is part of the JJIE’s project on Targeting Gun Violence. Support is provided by The Kendeda Fund. The JJIE is solely responsible for the content and maintains editorial independence.
