Gulfport man sentenced for killing of teen, separate drive-by shooting that injured 3
A Gulfport man is headed to prison for 40 years for his role in the shooting death of a Wiggins man and his involvement in a drive-by shooting that left three injured, according to the Harrison County District Attorney’s Office.
Jermaine “Bang” Mayers, 21, was sentenced to prison after he pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the Nov. 16, 2021, shooting death of Jacoby Bolton, 19, of Wiggins.
Wiggins police investigated the shooting after responding to Hope Avenue around 6:30 p.m. Once there, police found Bolton dead. He had been shot three times.
Mayers later admitted to the shooting, telling authorities he fired because he thought Bolton had a gun.
In an unrelated case, Mayers pleaded guilty to drive-by shooting for his role in an April 24, 2021, shooting that left three injured at 19 1/2 Street and Thornton Avenue. When police got to the scene, they found three people suffering from gunshot wounds.
After pleading guilty to the charges, Judge Lisa Dodson sentenced Mayers to a maximum of 20 years in prison for manslaughter and 30 years, with 10 years suspended, for the drive-by shooting, leaving him 40 years to serve.
Assistant District Attorney Matthew Burrell prosecuted the case.
“These acts of violence have devastated families and endangered the community,” Burrell said in a release. “This sentence ensures that the defendant is held accountable for his reckless disregard for human life.”
This story was originally published February 21, 2025 at 6:23 AM.
