Eight people in police custody, two on the run after multi-agency operation in Jackson County

Hundreds of grams of drugs, AK-47s, sawed-off shotguns, and a slew of suspected drug dealers are off the streets of South Mississippi tonight after a multi-agency operation in Jackson County.

A year-long effort and combined forces of the ATF and South Mississippi Metro Enforcement has landed eight people behind bars, the results of a joint agency operation targeting suspected armed traffickers and the worst narcotics offenders who authorities say are committing violent crimes throughout Jackson County. Jackson County Sheriff Mike Ezell said, “The ones that are in custody: John Fisher. He’s been arrested for possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, which most of these people that have been arrested, they did have firearms, and are convicted felons. I’ll just lay it out there like that. Emmanuel Dukes, Henry Adams, Bryson Bailey, Michael Walker, Lenard Thomas, Shawn Ethridge, and Gabriel Lowery.”

One former suspect, Dustin Suttles, is dead. His body was found last September in the Pascagoula River. Four men are charged with his death.

Meanwhile, the search is still on for two other suspects also wanted in connection with this year-long joint investigation: Johnny Washington and Ladarrius Forrest. Sheriff Ezell said, “They, of course, have ties to Jackson County. They are on the NCIC as wanted and are considered to be armed and dangerous.”

So far, the investigation has led to getting about 650 grams of meth and 22 guns off the street of South Mississippi. “When there are guns involved, that’s when we really count on the help of our federal partners in the U.S. Attorney’s office, the ATF, to work those cases with us.”

Jason Denham with ATF said, “Understand through intelligence-led policing that we have individuals that are actively committing criminal activity in a concentrated area, we want to focus our investigative efforts. That’s why we would step in on an equal partnership and move forward.”

A reward is being offered for any information leading to arrests in the case.