OXFORD – A Batesville woman was sentenced today (Thursday, Sept. 10) to more than six years in federal prison for possessing one or more homemade bombs on separate occasions.
According to court documents, Christina Willis, 29, previously pled guilty to possession of the bombs, or destructive devices, one of which Willis placed on the vehicle of her ex-boyfriend in June 2025.
Senior U.S. District Court Judge Michael P. Mills sentenced Willis to 78 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release. Willis was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals following sentencing.
U.S. Attorney Scott Leary made the announcement and stated, “We live in a wonderful country but it’s still a dangerous world, as confirmed by this case. When bombs are being produced an all-hands-on-deck response is required, which is what happened in this case. Federal, state and local law enforcement worked closely together in this coordinated investigation. The ATF and FBI working with the Lafayette County Sheriff’s Office, the Panola County Sheriff’s Office, the Yalobusha County Sheriff’s Office, the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics and the Tupelo Police Department-this is what a successful investigation looks like. Well done.”
“ATF is dedicated to preventing and reducing violent crime involving the criminal use of explosives,” said Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives New Orleans Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson. “The collaborative effort of federal and local law enforcement, led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, secured a sentence today that sends a message that ATF will continue to investigate and perfect charges against those who use explosives. ATF will continue to work tirelessly to protect our communities and neighborhoods and hold accountable those who threaten our safety.”
Assistant United States Attorney Robert Mims prosecuted this case.
