Man from Mobile admits – reluctantly – involvement in contract killing plot

MOBILE, Alabama (WALA) – A man accused of a murder-for-hire plot pleaded guilty Tuesday to a conspiracy charge in federal court.

Jimaurice Pierce, 21, of Mobile, gave his confession reluctantly. He had told defense attorney James Pittman earlier in the day that he had changed his mind about pleading guilty, only to relent and change his mind again. At one point, U.S. District Judge Terry Moorer ordered a recess so Pierce could speak with his attorneys and even ordered the U.S. Marshals Service to allow the defendant's mother into the jail area of ​​the courthouse so she could speak with him.

Pierce ultimately pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit murder. Moorer scheduled sentencing for December 5. Pierce faces a maximum sentence of life in prison, although prosecutors agreed to recommend a prison term at the lower end of the range set out in sentencing guidelines.

On Tuesday, prosecutors linked a series of 2022 shootings in Mobile and Mississippi – the Bank Nightlife in west Mobile in September, the Scarlet Pearl Casino Resort in D'Iberville three days later, the Paparazzi Lounge in downtown Mobile in November and a Walmart Supercenter on the Interstate 65 access road in Mobile two days after Christmas of that year.

Prosecutors claim it was all tied to an ongoing attempt to kill a man identified in court records as “Person-1.” The conspirators never managed to catch him, but they claim two innocent people died and suffered multiple gunshot wounds.

The written agreement details how Pierce and two co-defendants charged in the Walmart shooting became aware of the case in the first place. Prosecutors claim they were looking for a magnetic box large enough to hold a cell phone that they planned to attach to Person-1's vehicle to track him.

A search of co-defendant Darrius Dewayne Rowser's iCloud account turned up videos showing him, Pierce and Karmelo Cortez Morris Derks at the Walmart the night of the shooting, illegally possessing Glock pistols converted into machine guns, according to the plea agreement. Rowser's iCloud account also contained a photo of a saved Google search for “magnetic storage box,” according to court documents.

Pierce's plea agreement also references a photograph of Rowser holding a fanned-out wad of cash next to an illegally modified handgun, captioned “We're doing the chase.”

Pierce, Derks and Rowser still face charges related to the Walmart shooting, but they have not yet been tried by a grand jury. Derks has pleaded guilty to federal charges. Rowser still faces charges.

Derks appeared to struggle with the phrasing of his role in the plea. His attorney explained to the judge that his client was confused by the description of the behavior attributed to the co-defendants and wanted to make clear that Pierce did not admit to it.

Specifically, the confession refers to an Instagram chat that Pierce participated in. In that chat, reference was made to the Paparazzi Club shooting and the plan to kill Person 1. In a voicemail, according to the confession document, Rowser said he was offered “five racks and two bags” if he killed a man. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Roller said in court that this meant $5,000 and two bags of marijuana.

Pierce admitted that he and Rowser had taken multiple videos of Person-1's home in Mobile County.

Earlier on the night of the Walmart shooting, Pierce, Rowser, Derks and another person met with John Fitzgerald McCarroll – the lead defendant – in a rest stop parking lot, according to Pierce's plea agreement. Rowser obtained what is known as a Glock switch for an AR-15, according to Pierce's plea agreement.

Pittman, the defense attorney, told the judge he wanted to make it clear that it was Rowser, not Pierce, who received the device.

Law enforcement investigators obtained a search warrant for a Chickasaw home where Pierce was staying in January 2023 and found a Glock pistol that had been reported stolen earlier that month. Pierce admitted he stole it from a teenager while out on bail on a 2019 murder charge. According to court records, Pierce pleaded guilty to manslaughter last year. A judge sentenced him to 20 years in prison.

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