By Sophie Bates
Associated Press
JACKSON, Miss. — Federal authorities on Thursday announced indictments against 20 people, including 14 current or former Mississippi Delta law enforcement officers, that allege the officers took bribes to provide safe passage to people they believed were drug traffickers.
The yearslong investigation swept across multiple counties in the Mississippi Delta region of Mississippi and Tennessee. Two Mississippi sheriffs, Washington County Sheriff Milton Gaston and Humphreys County Sheriff Bruce Williams, were among those arrested.
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Some bribes were as large as $20,000 and $37,000, authorities said at a news conference.
“It’s just a monumental betrayal of public trust,” U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner said.
The indictments say law enforcement officers provided armed escort services on multiple occasions to an FBI agent posing as a member of a Mexican drug cartel. The indictments allege the officers understood they were helping to transport 25 kilograms (55 pounds) of cocaine through Mississippi Delta counties and into Memphis. Some of the officers also provided escort services to protect the transportation of drug proceeds.
Gaston and Williams are alleged to have received bribes in exchange for giving the operations their “blessing,” one indictment said. It also alleged that Gaston attempted to disguise the payments as campaign contributions, but did not report them as required by law.
Federal officials said the investigation began when people who had been arrested complained about having to pay bribes to various individuals.
“Law enforcement is only effective when the community they protect can trust the law enforcement officers are honestly serving the community’s interests,” said Robert Eikhoff, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Jackson Field Office. “This type of corruption strikes at the heart of the community.”
Nineteen of the 20 people indicted are also charged with violating federal gun laws.
In addition to the two sheriffs, those charged include: Brandon Addison, Javery Howard, Truron Grayson, Sean Williams, Dexture Franklin, Wendell Johnson, Marcus Nolan, Aasahn Roach, Jeremy Sallis, Torio Chaz Wiseman, Pierre Lakes, Derrik Wallace, Marquivious Bankhead, Chaka Gaines, Martavis Moore, Jamario Sanford, Marvin Flowers and Dequarian Smith.
Court records show that the federal defender’s office is representing 16 of the 20 people charged, including the two sheriffs. The federal defender’s office said it does not comment on pending matters. Attempts to reach the other four at phone numbers listed for them were unsuccessful.
Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves said in a statement that he was disappointed to learn of the allegations.
“The law must apply equally to everyone regardless of the title or position they hold,” he wrote. “Know that if you betray the people’s trust in Mississippi, you will face consequences.”
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Associated Press writers Kate Brumback in Atlanta, Audrey McAvoy in Honolulu and Hannah Schoenbaum in Salt Lake City contributed to this report.
