Community concerns prompted Pearl River County Sheriff’s Department investigators to investigate two instances of drug related activity.
Complaints of drug activity in the Nicholson area were followed up on March 27. Sheriff David Allison said the complaints alleged the illegal activity was occurring at 162 Bluebird Lane and truancy violations were occurring. Allison said the complaint alleged the mother of the children, identified as 29-year-old Amanda Smith of 1200 South Beech Street, was not sending the children to school.
Investigators arrived to speak with Amanda Smith, the children and several other occupants of the home, including 64-year-old Linda Smith, 32-year-old Josh Smith and 30-year-old Samuel Whitney, all of 162 Bluebird Lane, and.
Amanda Smith was immediately placed into custody on a pre-existing truancy warrant for not sending her children to school, Allison said.
After learning Linda Smith was in control of the home, the investigators requested consent to search the home, which was granted. In the search, investigators found 20 grams of methamphetamine, scales and baggies in a back room along with $500 in cash.
The adults in the home were all arrested for possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute, Allison said.
While booking Linda Smith into the jail, corrections officers found $4,500 on her person. Allison said all of the cash found in the case was seized.
In a separate case, the department received a tip form a concerned citizen that J.R. Rushing, 31, of 10 McArthur Lane, Poplarville, was parked along Wayne Pardue Road near Lumberton and had called several family members in a threatening manner demanding someone bring him a light bulb so he could use it to smoke methamphetamine, Allison said. The caller also alleged a woman was being held in the vehicle.
Deputies arrived to find Rushing and the woman still at the location and ordered Rushing to exit the vehicle. At that time he became combative and fought with the deputies, Allison said.
Deputies were able to take him into custody after a brief struggle and spoke with the woman in the vehicle. As deputies spoke with her, signs of abuse were noted on her face and neck. Allison said the woman told the deputies Rushing was assaulting her for several hours at that location and at times he held a knife to her throat and choked her. She also alleged Rushing threatened to kill her by pointing a gun at her and said he would bury her in the woods, Allison said.
A search of the vehicle and Rushing’s person found a baggie with residue suspected to be from methamphetamine, a knife and a prescription pill bottle.
The prescription on the bottle showed Rushing filled it 12 hours before, Allison said, and a count of the pills determined 60 pills were already missing.
Rushing was arrested for disorderly conduct resisting arrest, possession of paraphernalia, possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute and aggravated assault domestic violence.
Allison said a gun was not recovered on scene.