A New Orleans man, Jeremiah Mills, age 28, finds himself at the center of federal charges following two incidents at a local gas station last July. According to an indictment announced by Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson, Mills is facing allegations of committing an armed Hobbs Act robbery, discharging a firearm during the crime, an attempted second Hobbs Act robbery, and possession of a firearm by a felon.
On July 17, in the heart of New Orleans, the 2700 block of S. Claiborne Avenue witnessed a dangerous precedent set, as Mills is accused of wielding and firing a weapon amidst the robbery ordeal. Acting without apprehension, just three days later, he attempted to strike the same gas station once again. The indictment, which does not serve as a final judgment of guilt, exposes Mills to serious consequences; the Hobbs Act Robberies alone could saddle him with up to 20 years in prison accompanied by substantial fines and supervised release.
In a statement obtained by the Justice Department, Mills' alleged actions on Count 1 could end him up in prison for 20 years along with a $250,000 fine and 3 years of supervised release. More dire still, for Count 2, he is staring down the barrel of a mandatory minimum of 10 years, which could extend to a life sentence, plus a potential fine of the same amount, and a minimum of 5 years of supervised release. Charges for the attempt on July 20th churn potential penalties mirroring the first count's stakes, while possession of a firearm as a felon tacks on up to 15 years behind bars. Each count also carries an obligatory $100 special assessment fee.
Tip of the spear in the Department of Justice initiative to clamp down on violent crime, Operation Take Back America, has set its sights on Mills. Designed to suffocate the life from cartels and illegal immigration, the program coordinates extensive resources from the Department's Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). Spearheaded by the FBI's Violent Crime Task Force and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Troy L. Bell, this case seeks to underline that the weight of federal law enforcement is behind ensuring community safety.
While Mills awaits due process, the Justice Department reiterates that charges are only allegations and not proof of guilt. The legal process must unfold accordingly, with the evidence scrutinized beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. As Mills prepares his defense, the implications of the case could ripple beyond his future, reminding those in the Operation Take Back America's scope that there are consequences to violent actions in the fabric of American communities.
