Homeless man pleads guilty to kidnapping and robbery


A Gulfport man took a guilty plea for armed robbery and kidnapping.

Forty-seven year-old Ernest Eugene Leffew pled guilty before his trial was scheduled to begin in the case of what started as a missing person.

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Back on September 24th, 2017, the wife of the missing person called police to report her husband met a homeless man, later found out to be Leffew, in a church parking lot after a Sunday service.

After helping the homeless man wash his clothes at a laundry mat, the victim did not return. Police found the victim later that night at a Legacy Inn on Canal Road.

After investigation, police learned Leffew held the victim at knife point, stole his wallet, and physically assaulted him. Leffew forced the victim to use his debit card to buy cell phones and other electronics, as well as rent hotel rooms one of which is where they found the victim, who had been tied up with electrical tape and chewed his way out to call for help.

The District Attorney called this an incident where a Good Samaritan was just trying to help someone in need.

Leffew was sentenced to 30 years behind bars, 12 of those were suspended and the remaining 18 years will be served in prison.

After release, he’ll be under supervision for five years.