NATCHEZ — Sixth Circuit District Attorney Tim Cotton earned a victory in Circuit Court Judge Debra Blackwell’s courtroom on Friday, though the win was bitter at best.

Charles McKnight Jr., 64, of 500 West Stiers Lane, was found guilty of being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm.

Because he was charged as a habitual offender, McKnight Jr. must serve every day of the 10-year sentence Blackwell imposed.

However, when originally indicted by a grand jury, McKnight’s indictment also included charges of aggravated assault causing serious bodily injury.

On Nov. 14, 2019, McKnight allegedly raped and kidnapped his victim. Natchez Police arrested McKnight, charging him with aggravated assault and kidnapping.

Though the crime occurred in 2019, the previous district attorney did not take McKnight’s charges to a grand jury until March 2022.

The victim in the case died in 2023, thus those two charges could not be prosecuted, Cotton said.

A search of The Democrat’s published court records for McKnight shows a litany of arrests, including three other domestic violence charges, dating back to 2011.

“At least he got the maximum sentence and will have to serve it day for day,” Cotton said.