Published: July 08, 2009 06:20 pm      

Deputies make drug arrests

POPLARVILLE — Sheriff’s deputies have made arrests in two separate cases.

Both cases were the result of a deputy’s observation of suspected drug activity, said Chief Investigator Donnie Saucier.

The first arrest took place on June 30 near Oak Hill Road in Poplarville as Jerry Shane Herndon, 32, of 2258 Mississippi Highway. 53, Poplarville was driving his car. Deputy Kris Robbins observed a broken taillight on Herndon’s vehicle and conducted a traffic stop.

During that stop, Robbins ran a check on Herndon’s driver’s license, which turned out to be suspended. Saucier said Herndon was taken into custody for driving with a suspended license, and a search of the vehicle was conducted. Inside the vehicle Robbins found a white plastic bag containing what is believed to be methamphetamine. Also in the vehicle were several precursor chemicals, such as lye and fertilizer.

Herndon was ultimately charged with driving with a suspended license, possession of methamphetamine and possession of precursor chemicals, Saucier said.

On July 2, Deputy Daniel Quave conducted a stop near J.J. Holcomb Road on John K. Whitney, 18, of 162 Bluebird Lane. Quave observed Whitney driving in an erratic manner, leading him to believe Whitney was possibly intoxicated, Saucier said. A stop was conducted on the vehicle and during that stop, Whitney allegedly told Quave that he had smoked some methamphetamine about 10 minutes prior to the traffic stop.

For safety reasons, Quave conducted a pat down of Whitney and found a knife and a bag of marijuana. Whitney was taken into custody and transported to the jail. Saucier said while Quave drove Whitney to the jail, he could continually smell marijuana in the vehicle. Once they arrived at the jail, Quave conducted further searches on Whitney’s property, which included an external speaker designed to work with iPods. In that speaker Quave found 10 small bags of marijuana, which totaled about 56 grams, Saucier said.

Whitney was then charged with possession of marijuana.