On 03/25/2011 Thursday Night early Friday morning, Prentiss County Deputy David Berrios made a traffic stop on West of Booneville that resulted in the discovery of 133 bags of Marijuana with a total weight of almost 1 pound. The Deputy arrested Jay Edgar Helton of 1319 HWY 9 North Guntown, age 20. He was charged with Possession of Controlled Substance (Marijuana) with the intent to sell or distribute. His bond was set at $10,000. He was released on bond later the same day. It was determined through our investigation that Helton was a student at Northeast Mississippi Community College and had been supplying other students. This was a major arrest, anytime we can arrest someone that was selling this quantity of drugs and also selling to students. I hope this sends a clear message to others that might try the same thing. I am very pleased with this arrest and the Investigating Officers did an outstanding job. In addition to the bags of marijuana Investigators also seized cash and other evidence of his drug dealings.

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On Thursday 03/24/2011 Prentiss Deputies arrested Wesley John Weatherbee age 45 of 38B CR 8200 Rienzi and charged him with Possession of Controlled Substance (Methamphetamine)(ICE). Ice is a more pure form of Methamphetamine. Weatherbee was arrested after a traffic stop on HWY 4 west revealed that he was in possession of the controlled substance. His bond was set at $5,000 and he was released the following day on bond.

On 03/20/2011 Sunday Jeremy Arnold age 28 of 574 CR 5031 Booneville was arrested and charged with Felony taking of a Motor Vehicle pertaining to an incident that occurred several months ago where two other individuals were also arrested previously for taking a vehicle that didn't belong to them and taking it to a scrap yard and selling it to be crushed as salvage. Arnold's is being held without bond due to a previous indictment from Alcorn County. He also is facing numerous other misdemeanor charges in Prentiss County.

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On Friday March 11th the arrest of a illegal alien, Jose Martinez age 34 of #3 Oasis Apartments HWY 45 North Booneville was arrested after an undercover operation involving the Prentiss County Sheriff's Office, Booneville Police Department and North Mississippi Narcotics. Undercover Officers had allegedly made purchases of Cocaine from the suspect. A search warrant was executed Friday at the suspects apartment. Investigators discovered 3.5 grams of powder Cocaine and $1,140 in US Currency. Martinez is charged with Possession of Controlled Substance (Cocaine) with intent to sell and Sale of a Controlled Substance (Cocaine). He is being held at the present time with No Bond. He had given Investigators several bogus names before he was properly identified. Investigators contacted ICE concerning the suspects illegal immigration status and they will be placing a hold on him, once these charges are disposed of. The Officers in this case did a wonderful job.

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On 03/11/2011 Prentiss County Investigators received the report of a Burglary that occurred on CR 6100 just out side the City limits of Baldwyn. Investigators worked throughout the day and night investigating the crime and subsequently arrested two individuals and charged them when the burglary. Investigators in cooperation with The Tupelo Police Department, who assisted our Investigators in locating the suspects and stolen property. All the stolen property was recovered from one of the suspects vehicles, which included Two flat panel TVs, a handgun, a laptop computer and other electronics. The following two individuals were arrested by Investigators Friday night and transported to Prentiss County: Bryson Jamal Whitfield age 20 of 1005 Rockefeller Ave Tupelo charged with Burglary and Larceny $5,000 Bond, was released on bond Sat. Lapisces Panzetta Shelley age 22 of 238 South Second Street Baldwyn Charged with Burglary and Larceny and Conspiracy to commit Burglary and Larceny her bond was set at $10,000 and was also released Sat on Bond The Investigator handling the case did an outstanding job taking the leads he developed and pursuing it until the culmination of the case.

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03/01/2011 Tuesday night just after 9pm we got a call from Wheeler concerning a suspicious Black man dressed in a hoodie (hooded coat) coming out of a vacant house by the Methodist Church and he was carrying a big stick. The two Deputies on duty were working a wreck east of Marietta near the Natchez Trace. Reed Sparks, a Reserve Deputy heard the call on the scanner and responded from his home to the call. In the meantime we received a second call from another caller that the individual was banging on their door. When Sparks arrived the individual had already left that residence and was walking down the street. Deputy Sparks proceeded down the street shining his spotlight and located the individual. Once the Officer got the individuals attention, the individual approached the Officer who was still seated in his patrol vehicle. The Officer instructed the person to step back away from his vehicle. The individual took a couple steps back and started forcefully (with both hands) thrusting the stick, which was sharpened on one end through the patrol vehicles open window striking Deputy Sparks several times . in the side of the face, casing a puncture wound and abrasions. Deputy Sparks managed to get to a canister of pepper spray he had in his coat pocket and spray the individual, giving him enough time to force the door open, pushing the person away from the vehicle. Once Officer Sparks was outside the vehicle the subject produced a knife. At some point the individual ran around to the passengers side of the patrol vehicle and got in the passengers side attempting to put the shifter in drive. Sparks returned to the driver side with weapon in hand and attempted to cut off the ignition and remove the keys. The individual then began trying to stab Deputy Sparks. During the struggle Deputy Sparks firearm discharged. At that point the person fell back out of the vehicle. Deputy Sparks was able to call for back up at one point. When Sparks got around to the passengers side of the vehicle the individual began striking Deputy Sparks with the stick while holding the knife in his other hand The Deputy was able to subdue the individual about the same time several backup Officers had arrived from their respective homes. The individual was uninjured, Sparks was treated at Baptist Memorial Hospital for his injuries. The man was a young man from Guntown with no past criminal record in his 20's. He was charged with Aggravated Assault on a Police Officer and his Bond was set at $150,000. He remains in custody. This was a serious attack on this Officer that could have easily resulted in the Officers death or more serious injury. Deputy Sparks used great restraint It was a surprise attack with the Officer having no forewarning, while he was simply checking out a suspicious person. It goes to show how dangerous it is for Law Enforcement Officers everywhere, even in rural Prentiss County Mississippi. It was in March 1999 when Deputy Micheal Hisaw lost his life under very similar circumstances.

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On 02/25/2011 Kristen Nicole Pounds 19 of 504 CR 4101 Booneville and Terry Joe Prater 22 of 201 Caldwell Road were arrested by a Prentiss County Reserve Deputy in the Thrasher Community. Authorities had been searching for them during the investigation of the theft of a Pickup stolen that was taken in mid Jan. 2011. During the process of the arrest and booking, Pounds was discovered to have two syringes in her possession that contained a controlled substance. Prater is being held on a $5,000 bond on a Grand Larceny Charge Prater was also charged with an unrelated Burglary that occurred in the City limits, his bond was set at $10,000 on that charge. Pounds has two $10,000 bonds on two unrelated Possession of Controlled Substance Charges, the one mentioned above and another previous incident, in which she had not been charged. She has a $5,000 bond on the Grand Larceny Charge related to the theft of the Truck. The later part of last week Pounds had plead guilty to Forgery charges in Prentiss County Circuit Court and had been sentenced to Probation under Non Adjudication. This meant, if she had successfully completed her probation, she would not have had a felony record. She is being held pending, her going back in front of the Judge.

The Truck was not recovered. It had been taken to a salvage yard and crushed.

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