A Mississippi Department of Corrections probation officer was arrested Friday on federal drug and conspiracy charges, officials said. Kathy L. McDougle, 33, of Ridgeland was indicted by a federal grand jury Wednesday on one count of conspiracy to distribute cocaine, three counts of using a communications facility to commit conspiracy and one count of extortion, said Bob Garrity, special agent in charge of FBI operations in Mississippi. The indictment alleges that McDougle, while working as a probation officer, provided information to a member of a local drug trafficking organization, who then passed the information along to a cocaine supplier. [continues 150 words]
Lawrence County Justice Court Judge Bobby Fortenberry, a 16-year veteran of the bench, was arrested on felony drug charges Friday after a four-year investigation, law enforcement officials said. Fortenberry, 46, of Newhebron had 2.5 grams of crystal methamphetamine in his possession when he was arrested on Mississippi 550 in Brookhaven, said Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics Capt. Mike Aldridge. Fortenberry is charged with possession of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute and conspiracy to sell methamphetamine, Lawrence County Sheriff Joel Thames said. [continues 299 words]
When used properly, OxyContin is perhaps the most effective prescription painkiller available. Doctors often prescribe it to patients with cancer or those who are terminally ill. When used illegally, abusers break the time-release coating on the capsule and snort or inject the drug. It delivers a quick, addictive and potentially lethal high. "Three years ago, we had a tremendous problem with OxyContin-related overdoses, burglaries and pharmacy robberies," said Tim Rutledge, assistant director of the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics. "But the OxyContin task force that was assembled in response to it has brought a lot of attention to the issue and that has helped." [continues 313 words]
People arrested on misdemeanor charges and taken to the Lee County-Tupelo Adult Detention Center are being subjected to illegal strip and body cavity searches, a federal lawsuit claims. The suit, filed in U.S. District Court in Aberdeen, says 39 plaintiffs, 24 of whom were arrested on traffic violations, had their privacy invaded by such searches. Tupelo attorney Will Bristow and Iuka attorney Mike Cooke claim in the lawsuit filed Monday that the jail has operated under a policy in which "officers were encouraged to strip search and perform visual body cavity searches and other intrusive searches upon persons." The searches were done "without a search warrant and in situations where it was not reasonable to believe that any contraband or weapons had been concealed on their person," the suit adds. [continues 423 words]
BALDWYN - Twelve square miles to patrol and a population of about 4,000 people to protect were enough to keep the Baldwyn Police Department on the move in 2002. "There's still a lot of action that happens here in Baldwyn," said Capt. Chris Dickinson. That action from the year gone by was chronicled in the department's annual report that showed crimes fueled by drugs and alcohol were among the city's most prevalent. Of the city's 45 felony cases that occurred in 2002, 20 were drug-related. Of the 568 misdemeanor arrests, 288, including 88 DUI cases, were drug-or alcohol-related. [continues 264 words]
RED BAY, Ala. - Alabama and Mississippi law officers on Tuesday saw the fruits of their 17-month undercover labor as more than 50 drug suspects were taken into custody as part of "Operation Bedrock." "Today is a dark day for drug dealers in our area," said John Pilati, Franklin County, Ala. district attorney. In all, 63 drug suspects have been arrested in the operation carried out by 12 Northeast Mississippi and Northwest Alabama agencies. "We have a lot of line jumpers," said Tishomingo County Sheriff David Smith. "I know that a lot of our county's drugs come from Alabama, and vice versa. This operation would not have been successful if not for great cooperation from each agency involved. [continues 224 words]
Harold Ray Presley's death not only took Lee County's sheriff away, the wake that followed saw five Lee County deputies taken off of the force. Jason Stanford, Danny Dillard, Gary Dodds, John Lee and Jack Tate were suspended on Aug. 10, 2001, pending a federal and state investigation into the death of Billy Ray Stone. Dillard and Stanford were eventually indicted and charged with violating the civil rights of Stone, who gunned down Presley on July 6, 2001. The indicted deputies will stand trial in U.S. District Court in Greenville beginning on Monday. [continues 273 words]
The County's Interlocal Agreement with the Nmnu Expires Oct. 1. PONTOTOC - Sheriff Leo Mask is contemplating a move from underneath the North Mississippi Narcotics Unit's umbrella that would allow him to take Pontotoc County's drug problems into his own hands. The NMNU is an 11-agency organization that pools each agency's resources, in theory providing members with more manpower, equipment and funding. When members of the unit make a drug-related property or cash seizure, the items are turned over to the NMNU and the funds derived are used to purchase equipment and assist each agency with their drug force. "If people are selling drugs in our county and we arrest them, the people of Pontotoc County should benefit from it," Mask said. "We shouldn't have to turn everything over and just get a portion of it. We were elected to take care of the people in Pontotoc County and that's all I'm trying to do. [continues 506 words]
Crystal Methamphetamine Production, Use On The Rise In Area. Methamphetamine-related arrests are getting to be a daily occurrence in the area and narcotics officers believe they know why: The ingredients needed to make the drug are easy to get. "One reason we are seeing a large increase in the manufacture of meth in Tupelo and in this area is that up and down Gloster and Main streets, think of all the stores you can stop in and purchase these precursors," said Sgt. Chuck Bunn, with the North Mississippi Narcotics Unit. "They are everywhere." [continues 551 words]
