Meridian man sentenced for possessing firearm as a felon

Published 1:11 pm Thursday, January 15, 2026

A Meridian man was sentenced on Tuesday, Jan. 13, to 42 months of incarceration for being a felon in possession of a firearm in Neshoba County. The defendant was also ordered to pay a fine and serve three years of supervised release following his incarceration.

According to court documents, Elton Wayne Fairley, 40, was found by Philadelphia Police Department to be in possession of a firearm on Feb. 24, 2025. The firearm was concealed in the vehicle during a traffic stop in Philadelphia, with a round loaded in the firearm’s chamber and a large capacity magazine. Fairley had a previous felony conviction for narcotics offenses and was prohibited from possessing a firearm.

Fairley was indicted by a federal grand jury on July 15, 2025, and pleaded guilty on Sept. 10, 2025. Fairley will serve his term of imprisonment consecutive to a ten-year state sentence from Lauderdale County.

U.S. Attorney J.E. Baxter Kruger of the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Robert A. Eikhoff of the FBI Jackson Field Office made the announcement.

The FBI investigated this case with assistance from the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; Philadelphia Police Department; and Meridian Police Department.

Assistant U.S. Attorney C. Brett Grantham prosecuted the case.