More than 100 ecstasy pills have been taken off the streets and 32 suspects facing other charges also were picked up recently by the Pearl River County Sheriff’s Department.

Chief Investigator Donnie Saucier said the first operation was set up as a buy that ended in a bust involving 120 pills of the ecstasy.

The deal was set up for Jan. 13 through the use of a confidential informant. The informant contacted Ameth Wiles, 22, of 1515 Haslit, Natchez, and arranged to purchase the ecstasy pills. Investigators met Wiles at a location close to Pearl River Community College in Poplarville.

Wiles showed up and when the investigators attempted to take him into custody after establishing he had the pills, Wiles fled on foot. Saucier said he was apprehended a short time later. Investigators recovered the pills and about a gram of marijuana from Wiles.

He was charged with sale of a controlled substance and possession of marijuana.

A larger, separate case involved 32 suspects and about 54 hours of work and the help of Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, Saucier said. Charges in the operation include possession, sale and manufacture of methamphetamine, Saucier said.

Mobile and stationary surveillance of the county collected the evidence for the 57 charges against the suspects and seizure of two vehicles and five weapons.

Suspects arrested include, Elton Hyatt, 50, of 6434 Jordan Rd., Perkinston and Joseph Sanderson, 40, of 23079 Road 262, both charged with conspiracy to manufacture a controlled substance; Jacklyn Sharpe, 27, of 42 Pappy’s Place, Lumberton, charged with possession of controlled substance with intent to distribute and possession of a controlled substance in a correctional facility; Brittany S. Varnado, 21, and Charles M. Magee, 25, both of 1 Spanish Oak Lane, both charged with conspiracy to manufacture a controlled substance; Jerry E. Walker, 41, of 5383 Rocky Hill Dedeaux Rd., and Yuba Gomilion Jr., both charged with possession of precursor chemicals; Christopher A. Moore, 28, of 12072 Road 204, Carriere and Joseph E. Ritchie, 27, of 41 Ozona Rd., Carriere, both charged with conspiracy to manufacture a controlled substance; Rodney Bilbo, 41, 1001 Stemwood Dr.; Christine B. Russell, 33, of 38 North Fork Dr., Carriere; Robert Holland, 50, of 186 Mitchell Chapel Rd., Poplarville; Katy Miller, 30, of 16 Grandy Lane, Carriere and Gerald Barnhart, 33, of 179 Mitchell Chapel Rd., Poplarville, all charged with possession of precursor chemicals and possession of a controlled substance; Myrtis Quavas, 39, of Perkinston, charged with possession of precursor chemicals; Josh Miles, 37, of 55 Mizell Rd., Poplarville and David Minyard, 43 of Miss. 53, Poplarville, both charged with possession of precursor chemicals and possession of a controlled substance; Tonya Tores, 37 of Carriere and Troy Tores, 29, of 172 Browning Circle, both charged with possession of precursor chemicals and manufacturing a controlled substance; Lewis E. Rhame, 25, of 1501 Sixth Ave., Apt. H1 and Joseph Brockett, 18, of 1519 Goodyear Blvd., both charged with possession of precursor chemicals; Jonathan Hackenjos, 30, and Schanna Tarver, 21, both of 82 Wildflower Rd., Lumberton; Sidney Woodson, 26, of 260 Seal Ave., Biloxi; Jeffery Simmons, 40, 1072 Miss. 13, Lumberton; Michael Pervel, 20, of 810 Cross St. and Connie Perkins of 42 Bud Meyers Rd., Hattiesburg, all charged with manufacturing a controlled substance and possession of precursors. Hackenjos and Simmons were charged additionally with possession of a controlled substance.

Michael Cuevas , 49, of 20165 Lover’s Lane, Long Beach. Cuevas was charged with possession of marijuana and possession of a weapon by a convicted felon.

Ashli Simmons, 18, and Valerie Saucier, 26, both of 809 Martin Luther King Jr. Rd., Poplarville; Quantias Husband, 28, of 1403 A. Lorrane St., Wiggins and Joseph Episcopo, 29, of Parkway Dr., Wiggins, were all charged with conspiracy to manufacture a controlled substance. Simmons and Valerie Saucier were charged additionally with possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute within 1,500 feet of a school after a warrant was served on their home.

Sheriff David Allison said the case was a success thanks to community providing his department with tips alleging drug activity.