A Meridian woman has pleaded guilty to making false statements to a federal officer during the course of a federal investigation. 

Kadesha Dashanae Houston, 25, entered the plea before U.S. District Court Chief Judge Daniel P. Jordan III on Thursday, according to a news release. 

On March 22, 2019, the Meridian Police Department began investigating a case involving a convicted felon in possession of several pounds of marijuana and multiple firearms. 

During the investigation, it was discovered that Houston had purchased one of the firearms, a Romarm/Cugir, Draco Model, 7.62x39mm caliber AR style pistol.

ATF agents interviewed Houston to find out how the gun ended up with a  convicted drug dealer just 15 days after she purchased it, court officials said.

Houston gave false statements regarding who she purchased the firearm for and why she bought it, court officials said. When given a chance to retract the statements in light of other evidence, she maintained her story, court officials said.

It was later discovered that Houston was in a romantic relationship with the  drug dealer, court officials said.

Houston was indicted by a federal grand jury on August 6, 2019 and will be sentenced Jordan on August 20, 2020.  She faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

This case is part of Project EJECT, an initiative by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi under the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) and Project Guardian.