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- U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner called the alleged actions of the officer a “monumental betrayal of the public’s trust.”
Two sheriffs were among 14 law enforcement officials in the Mississippi Delta the FBI arrested Thursday on criminal charges related to their alleged participation in a drug trafficking conspiracy.
A yearslong investigation across the Mississippi Delta and Shelby County, Tennessee culminated Thursday when the FBI arrested Washington County Sheriff Milton Gaston, Humphreys County Sheriff Bruce Williams, and 12 other current or former law enforcement officers in Mississippi.
In all, the FBI announced indictments for 20 people, with 19 of them also charged with violating federal firearm laws pertaining to carrying a firearm in relation to a drug trafficking crime.
U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner of the Northern District of Mississippi along with Deputy Director Andrew Bailey of the FBI and Special Agent in Charge Robert Eikhoff of the FBI Jackson Field Office made the announcement.
Joyner called the alleged actions of the officer a “monumental betrayal of the public’s trust.” He said bribes to allow the drug trafficking to run through various counties and jurisdictions ranged from a few thousand to $37,000.
According to court documents, the following were charged with drug distribution:
- Brandon Addison
- Javery Howard
- Milton Gaston
- Truron Grayson
- Bruce Williams
- Sean Williams
- Dexture Franklin
- Wendell Johnson
- Marcus Nolan
- Aasahn Roach
- Jeremy Sallis
- Torio Chaz Wiseman
- Pierre Lakes
- Derrik Wallace
- Marquivious Bankhead
- Chaka Gaines
- Martavis Moore
- Jamario Sanford
- Marvin Flowers
- Dequarian Smith
Departments and local enforcement agencies impacted by the arrests include:
- Mississippi Highway Patrol
- Mississippi Department of Corrections
- Hollandale Police Department
- Humphreys County Sheriff’s Department
- Metcalfe Police Department
- Washington County Sheriff’s Department
- Sunflower County Sheriff’s Department
- Yazoo City Police Department
- Bolivar County Sheriff’s Department
- Greenwood Police Department
- Greenville Police Department
Mississippi Department of Public Safety Commissioner Sean Tindell and Mississippi Department of Corrections Commissioner Burl Cain issued a joint statement saying their agencies do not condone, nor will they tolerate, conduct that violates the public’s trust, particularly from those who have taken an oath to protect and serve.
“We commend the diligent work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and have fully cooperated throughout the course of this investigation,” Tindell and Cain stated.
One of the law enforcement officers arrested was formerly employed by the Mississippi Department of Public Safety. The Mississippi Department of Corrections had one former law enforcement officer and two current law enforcement officers arrested. All four of the following individuals arrested in connection with this investigation have been suspended or separated from employment with our respective agencies:
- Martavus Moore – Mississippi Department of Correction
- Sean Williams – Mississippi Department of Corrections
- Marcus Nolan – Mississippi Department of Corrections (former)
- Marquavious Bankhead – Mississippi Highway Patrol (former)
