A jury has convicted a Lauderdale County violent habitual offender of Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, District Attorney Kassie Coleman announced today.
Alfonzo McDonald, 34, was sentenced to serve a term of Life without Parole in the custody of the Mississippi Department of Corrections. At the conclusion of the two day trial, Circuit Judge Charles W. Wright, Jr.,conducted a sentencing hearing on Tuesday, August 16, 2022. The State of Mississippi submitted evidence of McDonald's status as a violent habitual offender pursuant to Mississippi Code $ 99-19-83. McDonald has previously been convicted of three violent felonies: he was convicted of Armed Robbery on April 13, 2004, a second Armed Robbery on March 27, 2006, and Aggravated Assault on a Law Enforcement Officer on May 30, 2013. Judge Wright said that sentencing pursuant to Mississippi's habitual violent offender statute was appropriate to protect not only the citizens of Lauderdale County, but also to protect citizens of the entire State
of Mississippi.
"McDonald is a career violent offender. This verdict and sentence ensures our community is safe from further violent acts perpetrated by him." said District Attorney Kassie Coleman.
McDonald was arrested on January 1, 2018, after the Meridian Police Department found him to be in possession of a loaded firearm during the execution of a search warrant. He was indicted later that year but his trial has been postponed due to subsequent indictments on other charges and delays caused by the pandemic.
The Meridian Police Department investigated the case. The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Kate Martin and Tommy Whitfield.
McDonald is also currently under indictment as a violent habitual felon in Lauderdale County for two other pending felony charges, a Burglary of a Dwelling and a Capital Murder. Trials in those two cases will be scheduled by the Court at a later date.
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