Jackson, Miss. – A Jackson man pled guilty to assault on a federal law enforcement officer, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Jermicha Fomby of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Mississippi.
According to court documents, on June 26, 2021, Demario Cotton, 39, was in a vehicle fleeing law enforcement when he stopped and fired a rifle multiple times at law enforcement vehicles, causing bodily injury to a federal law enforcement officer who was in the performance of his official duties. Cotton was subsequently taken into custody and admitted to his illegal actions.
Cotton was charged with assault on a federal law enforcement officer, and he pled guilty on July 1, 2022. He is scheduled to be sentenced on September 29, 2022 and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district judge will determine the sentence after considering the U.S. sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Jackson Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lynn Murray is prosecuting the case.