Deputies and police officers attempting to serve a search warrant on a Poplarville home found more than drugs inside.

Sheriff David Allison said investigators with the Pearl River County Sheriff’s Department teamed up with officers of the Poplarville Police Department to serve the warrant on March 18.

When the law enforcement officers arrived at the home located at 211 Upstart Street in Poplarville, they could see the suspect, identified as 37-year-old Melvin Nixon, flee on foot for about a quarter of a mile toward a wooded area, Allison said.

Nixon was asked to surrender, or a K-9 officer would be sent in after him, prompting Nixon to exit the woods and surrender to Maj. Kelvin Stanford, Allison said.

Meanwhile officers at the home were cautious to enter due to the circumstances of the case, leading them to deploy a distraction device outside the home before entering, Allison said.

Inside the home the officers found a small child inside, who was unharmed by the device, Allison said. Officers also learned that another child in Nixon’s care was at school at the time of the search, leading them to call the Department of Human Services to care for the two children while the operation ensued, Allison said.

Once the children were safely secured, officers resumed the search of the home and found an ounce of pure methamphetamine called “ice” bagged up for resale, along with two ounces of marijuana, also bagged up for resale, Allison said. The search also found a bag of cocaine allegedly for distribution, hydrocodone, soboxone pills, suboxone strips and some oxycodone pills, Allison said.

The mother of the infant, identified as 26-year-old Sara Judge, arrived at the home during the search and was subsequently taken into custody.

Nixon was charged with eight counts of possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute within 1,500 feet of a school or church, contributing to the neglect of a child, resisting arrest by fleeing and disorderly conduct failure to comply, while Judge was charged with eight counts of possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute within 1,500 feet of a school or church, Allison said.

A hold was placed on Nixon by the Mississippi Department of Corrections for probation violation, Allison said.

As the investigation continues additional charges may be pressed against Nixon and Judge, Allison said.

The sheriff would like to thank his staff for their hard work and the Poplarville Police Department for their assistance in the case.