Greenville, MS— District Attorney Dewayne Richardson, in collaboration with U.S. Attorney for the Northern District, Clay Joyner, announced today the swearing in of two Assistant District Attorneys as federal prosecutors. This partnership will effectively identify and prosecute violent criminals in the Mississippi Delta Region.
ADAs Austin Frye and Kaylon McCou appeared before Chief Judge Debra M. Brown in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi to take their oaths as Special Assistant United States Attorneys (SAUSAs). While maintaining primary service with the state, the duos dual appointments authorize them to prosecute cases in federal court in addition to state court.
This federal-state partnership is designed to enhance the resources of both the state and federal criminal justice systems by strengthening the connection between local expertise and federal resources to target violent crime and the networks that facilitate and support violent criminals.
This unique partnership marks a new journey in the Fourth Circuit District Attorney’s Office as well as the U.S. Attorney’s office as it is the first in recent history for the Northern District of Mississippi. The partnership serves as a continued commitment to justice, advocacy, and the rule of law. In addition to prosecuting one of the most violent crime-intensive dockets in the State, Richardson’s staff has been home to several leaders in the field of prosecution.
Since Richardson’s tenure as District Attorney, the office has employed three former Presidents of the Mississippi Prosecutors Association, its District Manager Tamicko Fair currently serves as the Chair of the Association’s Victim Advocacy Section, ADA Stanley Alexander is the Chair of the Prosecutors Section of the Mississippi Bar, and DA Richardson serves on the Board of the National District Attorneys Association representing the State of Mississippi. ADA Takiyah Perkins received the esteemed award of 2024 Prosecutor of the Year for the State of Mississippi. ADA Frye is the President of the Washington County Bar Association and serves as Vice-Chair of the Prosecutors Section of the Mississippi Bar and Board Member for the Mississippi Prosecutors Association. ADA McCou is a Board Member for the Prosecutors Section of the Mississippi Bar and currently serves as President of the Mississippi Prosecutors Association.
“Our office is committed to reducing violent crime in the Delta and our state and we intend to utilize the resources available and necessary to accomplish our goal. While we have always maintained a beneficial relationship with the U.S. Attorney’s Office under the leadership of U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner, this partnership further strengthens the alliance for combating crime and protecting the most vulnerable among us,” Richardson said.
The District Attorney’s Office looks forward to continuing its work to secure justice on behalf of the people of the Fourth District and is confident that this new venture will yield positive results for all citizens of the Northern District of Mississippi.
