Two traffic stops in the county found suspects be in possession of methamphetamine.

Pearl River County Sheriff David Allison said the first stop took place on July 28 when an officer saw a vehicle speeding down Caesar Road occupied by suspects that community complaints alleged were involved in illegal drug use. 

During the stop for the driving violation, officers came into contact with 38-year-old Bobbie Phelps of 1300 Ausborn Rd., Picayune and found he had an active indictment out for his arrest with the sheriff’s department on the charge of conspiracy to manufacture a controlled substance.

After deputies took Phelps into custody they noticed the remaining occupants were acting strangely, prompting them to search the vehicle, Allison said.

During a search of the vehicle the deputies found a baggy containing a substance believed to be methamphetamine and some paraphernalia that included a set of scales and a pipe, Allison said.

The other two occupants, identified as 47-year-old Kim Bossier and 51-year-old Carlos E. Johnson both of 275 Magnolia Dr., were charged with possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute, the sheriff said.

Phelps was booked for the indictment and for possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute, Allison said.

As a result of the case the vehicle and $435 in cash were seized, Allison said.

On Aug. 6 narcotics investigators on patrol observed a Ford Mustang occupied by two individuals, later identified as 32-year-old Daniel Harris and 23-year-old Ashelee Slade both of 121 Lovell Odom Rd., Poplarville, parked on Monroe Breland Rd., near the intersection of Savannah Millard Road, Allison said.

As the officers passed they witnessed Harrison throw trash out of the car window, so a stop was conducted for littering as the vehicle pulled off.

During the stop the officers discovered Harris was driving with a suspended license, and the license plate on the vehicle had been switched. During the stop the officers recovered methamphetamine, which Slade attempted to conceal, along with some marijuana, Allison said.

Harris and Slade were out on felony bonds at the time, which have since been revoked. They were both charged with possession of methamphetamine and possession of marijuana, while Harris was additionally charged with littering, driving while license suspended, switched tag and no insurance. Slade was additionally charged with tampering with evidence.

During a subsequent investigation the investigators learned the vehicle was borrowed from 34-year-old Lincoln Wells of 3015 Hwy. 53 Poplarville.

Allison said later that day the investigators went to Wells’ home to assist the Mississippi Department of Corrections with a home inspection as part of the terms of his probation, but he was not home during the inspection, which found drug paraphernalia, beer and a large knife. Allison said officers later learned that Wells was actually at the MDOC office in Millard, so they called deputies at the Sheriff’s Department, which is next door, and asked them to take him into custody due to the results of the search of the home. It was later learned the Mustang was stolen out of Bay St. Louis several days earlier and the tag was also stolen from another Mustang, Allison said.

Wells was charged with receiving stolen property, possession of a weapon by a convicted felon, possession of a stolen tag, possession of paraphernalia, possession of beer in a dry county and MDOC placed holds on Harris and Wells for probation violations, Allison said.