Twenty people — including 14 current or former Mississippi law enforcement officers — have pleaded not guilty to a sweeping federal indictment that accuses them of participating in a large-scale drug trafficking and bribery conspiracy.
According to The Associated Press, federal prosecutors allege that officers from several Mississippi law enforcement agencies accepted bribes in exchange for providing safe passage to people they believed were drug traffickers.
The indictments state that the officers knowingly helped transport 25 kilograms — about 55 pounds — of cocaine through multiple Mississippi counties and into Memphis. Some also allegedly offered armed escort services to safeguard the transportation of drug proceeds.
Among those charged are two county sheriffs — Washington County Sheriff Milton Gaston and Humphreys County Sheriff Bruce Williams. Prosecutors claim both men accepted thousands of dollars in cash from someone they thought was affiliated with a Mexican cartel. In return, they allegedly gave the cartel their “blessing” to operate freely within their jurisdictions.
Michael Carr, who represents Sheriff Williams, said his client maintains his innocence and is eager to clear his name.
“Let’s just get to the merits of it and get in front of a jury so the officers and my sheriff, Bruce Williams, can have his name cleared, can be publicly vindicated, and can hopefully get back to work,” Carr said.
All officers charged in the case were granted $10,000 bond but are prohibited from working in law enforcement while the case proceeds.
The Mississippi Board on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Training has also suspended their law enforcement certifications pending a full hearing.
Those charged include Brandon Addison, Javery Howard, Truron Grayson, 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, and Dequarian Smith.
Thomas Levidiotis, who represents Smith — a former officer with the Humphreys County Sheriff’s Office and Isola Police Department — said his client is innocent.
“He is absolutely innocent of any wrongdoing whatsoever, and everybody knows it,” Levidiotis said.
Federal investigators say the alleged conspiracy undermines public confidence in law enforcement.
“The indictments are a blow to already shaky public trust in law enforcement,” said Robert Eikhoff, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Jackson Field Office.
U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner called the case a “monumental betrayal of public trust” during a press conference announcing the charges.
