Ten people face felony drug charges in the first major undercover operation in Neshoba County by agents of the newly formed Eighth Judicial District Narcotics Enforcement Team. Eight other arrests are expected, the authorities said.
The sheriff’s department initiated the investigations, which began as early as October 2004, in an ongoing joint effort by city, county and state law enforcement to crack down on illegal drug activity, the authorities said. The majority of the arrests involved prescription drugs.
Charged were:
• Jarrod Reynolds, 10850 Road 701, Union, sale of Xanax.
• Wendy Smith, 12410 Road 325, sale of Lorcet, conspiracy to sale Lorcet and sale of Darvocet.
• Wesley Fortenberry, 11851 Road 624, sale of methamphetamine.
• Ronald Neese, 12410 Road 325, Union, sale of Xanax.
• Jerome Black, 255 Adams St., two counts, sale of crack cocaine.
• Chester Green, (no address available), sale of crack cocaine.
• Dorothy Lewis, 10220 Road 1321, Union, sale of Lorcet and conspiracy to sale Lorcet.
• Norris Peebles, 10201 Road 2638, four counts sale of Lorcet.
• Eduardo Vargas, 10190 Road 369, conspiracy to sale marijuana and sale of marijuana.
• Kimberly Vargas, 12160 Road 402, conspiracy to sale marijuana.
Drug team agents Shelly Boone and Richard Sistrunk, who is also the county drug enforcement officer, said several complaints had been received in regards to individuals selling drugs in various parts of the county particularly the Linwood area.
Most of the complaints came from good honest citizens in the community who reported suspicious activity next door or late night traffic in a particular area, said Sistrunk, noting that it takes time to follow through on tips and make arrests.
Confidential informants were used in many of the cases, Sistrunk said.
The Eighth District Narcotics Team, under the direction of the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, was formed through an inter-local agreement between Neshoba and Leake counties who each assigned a deputy to the team.
Newton and Scott counties are expected to join the team when the manpower becomes available, said Boone.
Deputies from participating counties meet on a regular basis along with their assigned MBN agent to share information not only on narcotics cases, but other criminal activity as well.
They can enter all information into the MBN’s criminal intelligence database, which can be accessed and used by local officials.
