In the early hours of Wednesday morning, several businesses in Jackson were raided by the FBI’s Jackson office. Among them was Downtown Cigar Company LLC on Pearl Street, owned by Hinds County District Attorney Jody Owens. Law enforcement officers surrounded the business and crime scene tape was wrapped around it.
Owens was not immediately available for comment, but an FBI agent stated that he had been standing outside of Owens’ business for a couple of hours. The FBI’s Capital Police was also on the scene. According to FBI Spokesperson Marshay Lawson, federal search warrants were being executed at multiple locations and the affidavit supporting the search warrants was sealed by the court.
Lawson further stated that there is no threat to public safety. Owens was elected as Hinds County’s District Attorney in 2019 after serving as the managing attorney at the Mississippi office of the Southern Poverty Law Center. He was reelected to the office in November 2023.
In a separate incident in 2022, Owens was accused of pointing a gun at Joshua Towns of Hattiesburg, who claimed he was visiting his “lady friend” in her apartment on Pearl Street when Owens entered and pointed a gun at him. The woman was reported to be an employee in Owens’ office. Owens denied all allegations at the time. This is a developing story with more details to be revealed.
