Hattiesburg man sentenced in federal gun case

Bill Graham, The Meridian Star, Miss.
·1 min read

Apr. 13—A Hattiesburg man was sentenced to 84 months in federal prison for using actual force or violence to steal a firearm from Academy Sports + Outdoors, announced U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Brad L. Byerley of the Drug Enforcement Administration.

According to information presented to the court, on Nov. 6, 2021, Cody Jerome Cooley, 23, visited Academy Sports + Outdoors in Gulfport. Cooley approached the gun counter and asked to see one of the handguns, a Springfield Armory XDM Elite. The clerk gave Cooley the firearm to examine. Cooley later motioned towards another handgun in the display case. When the clerk turned his head to look at the gun, Cooley looked both ways, struck the clerk in the face with the Springfield Armory handgun, and fled from the store. This was all captured on surveillance footage.

After he fled from the store with the stolen handgun, armed civilians apprehended Cooley in a nearby restaurant parking lot. Post Miranda, Cooley admitted to taking the gun and striking the clerk. The clerk that was struck by Cooley had to receive medical care for his injuries.

Cooley pled guilty on Jan. 11, 2022, to unlawfully obstructing, delaying, and affecting interstate commerce by robbery.

The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Gulfport Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Buckner prosecuted the case.