Southaven, MS – A transvestite male prostitute was sentenced to life in prison after being caught stealing.

Darnell Wilson was caught leaving the Kohl’s Department Store in Southaven after stealing bras. Wilson led local police on a high-speed chase in an effort to get away with his loot. The police chase that followed the theft exceeded speeds of 80 mph, and ended only after Southaven officers used spike strips to blow out Wilson’s vehicle tires. Wilson was charged with felony larceny for stealing a variety of clothing in the Southaven store, including bras, which prosecutors say were for his job in Memphis, Tennessee.

Although this was Darnell’s first arrest in Desoto County, prosecutors used his numerous arrests in Tennessee and a Mississippi law to put him behind bars for life. “We are here to protect our citizens, and we will protect our citizens and we’re not going to tolerate habitual offenders,” stated Desoto County District Attorney Smithe Murphey.

Wilson has 18 arrests in Shelby County, Tenn., including aggravated robbery, kidnapping and sexual battery. Murphey used the Mississippi habitual offender law to put Wilson behind bars for three consecutive life sentences. The law allows prosecutors to combine Mississippi felony arrests with felony arrests in Tennessee to define the accused as habitual offenders. There must be at least three felony convictions and at least one for a violent crime.

Murphey added, “We have standards... we’re not going to tolerate eighteen-time convicted felons who keep walking around without any repercussions.”

Shelby County, where most of Wilson’s crimes were committed, is unable to impose such an extreme sentences because Tennessee does not have tough laws on habitual offenders.