Published: July 18, 2009 09:12 pm      

Child molestation, drug busts

PICAYUNE — Pearl River County Sheriff’s Department investigators have pressed charges against suspects in relation to cases involving child molestation and drug activity.

The child molestation case began with a report to the Sheriff’s Department on July 3, when it was alleged that Matthew Givens, 27, of 16 Daniel Spiers Rd., had inappropriately touched an 8 year-old female.

Chief Investigator Donnie Saucier said after the department received the complaint, Investigator Rhonda Poche was sent to work the case. She found that Givens used his status as a friend of the victim’s family to take her out for outdoor activities and at times he was alone with the girl. During those outings he is alleged to have inappropriately touched the child.

Givens has been charged with child molestation.

The department also worked two cases that dealt with drug activity. The first case took place on July 1, where investigators on patrol in the Nicholson area near the Logan’s One Stop saw a red Dodge Neon make a turn without using a turn signal. Saucier said the vehicle was stopped and as the step was being made, the investigator saw occupants of the vehicle were acting noticeably nervous. Inside the car the investigator saw what appeared to be an active methamphetamine lab on the passenger side floor board.

The occupants of the vehicle, Kent Smith, 27, of 162 Bluebird Dr., and Alex Hutchinson III, 26, of 153 Three Ponds Rd., where both charged with manufacture of a controlled substance.

In the early morning hours of July 11, investigators were working the scene of an abandoned home on Otis Stewart Road that contained a number of precursor chemicals. As the investigators worked the scene, a small truck was seen passing by the house in a suspicious manner, Saucier said.

Investigators attempted to perform a stop on the vehicle but for about a mile and half the vehicle would pull to the side of the road as though it would stop before driving off. When the vehicle finally did stop, one of the suspects, later identified as Mark Harris, 29, of 7 Simmons Rd., attempted to discard what was later found to be an active methamphetamine lab. Saucier said the investigator had to work fast to recover the lab. As the investigator recovered the evidence, he accidentally breathed in some of the chemicals, causing a burning sensation in his nose. Saucier said the investigator was not seriously harmed.

Two other suspects also were in the car, Cinda Thigpen, 53, of 133 Marsha St. and Sarita Stewart, 25, of 107 Herb Lee Fred Spiers Rd. Saucier said all three suspects were charged with manufacture of methamphetamine.