This week, U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst announced sentencing in two major crimes and a guilty plea in a murder case.

Case #1: Louisiana man sentenced to 3 Years for conspiracy to commit health care fraud

51-year-old Joseph L. Wiley, II, of West Monroe, Louisiana, has been sentenced to 36 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for conspiracy to commit health care fraud.  

Wiley was also ordered to pay a $500,000 fine and forfeit $300,000 to the government.  

In April 2019, Wiley pled guilty to helping Mississippi pharmacies submit millions worth of fraudulent claims to government health care programs through the use of his business, Affordable Medication Solutions, LLC (AMS).  Wiley used AMS to create a program that allowed compound pharmacies to provide healthcare benefit programs documents showing co-payments had been paid on prescription medications when in fact, AMS did not make payments to the pharmacies for the co-payments.  When a few of the compound pharmacies were audited, Wiley assisted those pharmacies by providing fictitious documents, including explanations of benefits and fake checks.  Through AMS, Wiley facilitated the concealment of at least $56 million in fraudulent billings to health care benefit programs.

Case 2: Gulfport man sentenced to over 15 years for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine

24-year-old Xzavier Earl Damon Wilson was sentenced to 188 months in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.  Wilson was also ordered to pay a $5,000 fine and forfeit two firearms.

The Harrison County Sheriff’s Department Narcotics Unit was investigating a heroin overdose and received information that Wilson was the source of supply.  On September 30, 2019, during a traffic stop of Wilson, deputies found 55.15 grams of 100% pure Methamphetamine, a small amount of marijuana, and a Schedule I controlled substance, a synthetic cannabinoid.  A search of a car belonging to Wilson produced 27.873 grams of Heroin and 375.9 grams of pure Methamphetamine.

Wilson was charged in a federal criminal indictment and pled guilty before Judge Guirola on June 25, 2020.

Case #3: Petal man pleads guilty to role in 2016 killing at Hattiesburg Mugshots Restaurant

24-year-old James Windham, of Petal, pled guilty this week to aiding and abetting the carrying and use of a firearm during a drug trafficking crime, resulting in the firearm being discharged.

On June 26, 2016, Windham and a co-defendant met with a third party at a Hattiesburg Mugshots restaurant in order to sell two ounces of marijuana.  Windham brought his co-defendant along as an armed enforcer and as backup, in case the drug deal turned sour.  During the drug transaction, at least one firearm was discharged between Windham and his co-defendant, resulting in multiple rounds being fired and, ultimately, the death of the third party.

Following the shooting, Windham and his co-defendant fled from the scene, at which time they discarded the marijuana and all firearms associated with the shooting.  Due to the diligent police work of the Hattiesburg Police Department, the marijuana and all firearms were recovered shortly after the shooting.

Windham and his co-defendant were charged in a federal criminal indictment on June 25, 2019.  Windham will be sentenced by Judge Starrett on January 12, 2021, at 9:30 a.m.  He faces a minimum of ten years and a maximum of life in prison.