Several suspects were arrested over the past couple of months by the Pearl River County Sheriff’s Department as part of an ongoing fight against drugs in the county.

Sheriff David Allison said that on Aug. 3, at about 9 .m. Sheriff’s Department investigators along with agents from the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics went to a home located at 7 Zachary Lane in Poplarville to locate 43-year-old Jamie P. Walters, who lives at that address.

Allison said that when the law enforcement officers arrived, they found Walters in the yard. A search of his person located methamphetamine, leading to his arrest for the felony theft warrant and for possession of marijuana, Allison said.

Another case worked on Aug. 11, involved a narcotics agent dressed in plain clothes being approached by a man who claimed to be homeless. Allison said that during the interaction the man, later identified as 37-year-old Joseph Stubbs, asked if the agent was interested in purchasing items he had in his possession. When the agent asked to see the items to determine if they were stolen, and subsequently informed Stubbs that he is a law enforcement officer, Stubbs fled to a nearby vehicle and fled.

A women in the driver’s seat, identified as 42-year-old Pesha Riley, who also claimed to be homeless, fled down county roads until the vehicle was stopped near West Union Road. After the short pursuit a search of the vehicle found various items including a battery and some old tools. Allison said investigation into the items did not determine they were stolen, but Stubbs was arrested for disorderly conduct and resisting arrest by fleeing and Riley was arrested for resisting arrest by fleeing and possession of methamphetamine.

On Aug. 25, investigators patrolling the area of Ceasar Road, FZ Goss Road and West Union Road saw a light colored van fail to use a turn signal, leading to a traffic stop. During that stop, the investigators found 30-year-old Christopher Kennedy of 229 Richardson Ozona Rd., behind the wheel. Through investigative techniques, it was determined that Kennedy was in possession of narcotic prescription pills later determined to be counterfeit and also allegedly contained fentanyl. He was subsequently arrested for possession of a controlled substance and issued a citation for the traffic violation.

The next day on Aug. 26, narcotics agents stopped a vehicle driven by 61-year-old Timothy Frierson of 54 Daisy Dawsey Rd., near Asa McQueen Road for a traffic violation. During the stop, Frierson was determined to not have a valid driver’s license and was not wearing a seatbelt. After being asked to step out of the vehicle for officer safety, the agents noticed a piece of foil drop from his person. Allison said that after the foil was recovered, it allegedly contained a substance believed to either be heroin or fentanyl.

Based on that interaction, and a previous interaction where Frierson allegedly sold a controlled substance to an undercover narcotics agent, he was arrested for possession of a controlled substance and for a warrant for sale of a controlled substance, Allison said. He was also cited for driving while license suspended, Allison said.

On Sept. 6, narcotics agents on patrol in the Hillsdale area attempted to conduct a stop on a motorcycle for a traffic violation, but the operator of the vehicle fled. Even though the motorcycle rider was able to get away, an investigation identified him as 30-year-old Christopher Gardner of 1044 Standford Lake Rd., Lumberton. Allison said that investigation also determined he was on house arrest at the time of the violation and by using the electronic monitoring device on his person were able to locate him on Angel Place in Poplarville.

After arresting him for felony fleeing, the VIN of the motorcycle was checked, determining the vehicle had been stolen from another jurisdiction. Gardner was additionally arrested for possession of stolen property and during his booking was found to be in possession of a distribution amount of methamphetamine. He was additionally arrested for possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute and a hold was placed on him with the Mississippi Department of Corrections, Allison said.

On Sept. 12 just before 10 p.m., investigators patrolling the area of Charlie Walker Road and Walkiah Bluff Road saw a black Silverado being driven carelessly. During the resulting stop, investigative techniques located a bag of tools in the back floorboard of the vehicle containing methamphetamine. The driver, identified as 58-year-old Maurice Arabie of 152 Harvey Burks Rd., was arrested for possession of methamphetamine, Allison said.

Another case worked on Sept. 15, involved narcotics agents assisting MDOC agents with a home inspection at the residence of 56-year-old Ricky Burge, located at 36 Mittie Byrd Rd. During that inspection, two rifles were found in his bedroom along with paraphernalia allegedly used by Burge and 41-year-old Lisa Burge, who also lives at that home, Allison said.

Since Ricky Burge is a convicted felon, he was arrested for possession of a weapon by a convicted felon and both were arrested for possession of paraphernalia, Allison said. A hold was also placed on Ricky Burge by MDOC.

On Sept. 20, narcotics agents patrolling the area of Jackson Landing Road near Donald Penton Road came across 42-year-old Timothy Harris of 102 Jasmine Dr., while riding his bicycle along the road, Allison said.

A pat down for officer safety located a substance suspected to be methamphetamine on his person, leading to his arrest for possession of a controlled substance. Allison said that since Harris was arrested earlier this year on a similar offense, his previous bond was revoked.

Another case was worked on Sept. 28, occurred when deputies conducted a safety checkpoint along West Union Road at about 1:30 a.m. Allison said during that time, a Nissan Rogue operated by 33-year-old Megan Bickham of 290 Buck Branch School Road pulled up. While speaking with Bickham, the deputies could smell a strong odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle, resulting in a search that located a trafficking amount of methamphetamine and Bickham being arrested for trafficking a controlled substance.