Jeramie Aikens
A Sandy Hook man is being held in Marion County Jail on $100,000 bond for a charge of statutory rape.
The suspect, Jeramie Aikens, 32,225 Mt. Carmel Church Road, allegedly had sex with a 12-year-old girl on Jan. 16, 2010, according to the affidavit. The victim was interviewed at the South Mississippi Child Advocacy Center in February and disclosed that she and Aikens had sex, the affidavit states.
Aikens was arrested June 30 by the Marion County Sheriff’s Office.
A Columbia man charged with attempted rape waived his preliminary hearing in Marion County Justice Court this morning and had his case bound over to Circuit Court for trial.
Johnny Charles Robinson Jr., 44, 607 Pearl St., Apt. B, Columbia, is accused of entering a female’s residence on Park Avenue on June 7 and assaulting her in a sexual manner by tearing her clothes off, according to the affidavit.
Shortly after the incident was reported to Columbia Police by the alleged victim, Robinson was apprehended by officers on a nearby street. Robinson remains in Marion County Jail on $20,000 bond.
The inmates and their new wives gather with family outside the Marion County Justice Courtroom this morning after the wedding ceremonies.
By Josh Mitchell/Informer Publisher
The bride beamed with happiness as she sat across from her groom who was shackled and dressed in a striped inmate jumpsuit.
This morning four male state inmates incarcerated at the Marion/Walthall Correctional Facility got married in Marion County Justice Court. Justice Court Judge Sharon Whitfield, who conducted the ceremonies with Judge Gwen Broom, said inmate marriages seldom happen.
Just before his ceremony, Desmond Watkins, who said he is incarcerated for armed robbery, told the Marion County Informer that inmates are “no different” from other people getting married.
“It’s still a special day,” said Watkins of Rankin County. “Life doesn’t stop because you’re incarcerated. I need someone who cares for me, too.”
Watkins, who is scheduled to be released in 2016, added that a woman who marries a man in jail is worth keeping. “You know you are dealing with someone who will stick with you when you’re down and out,” said Watkins. “They will stick with you no matter what comes. It’s all about trust.”
The four brides, who are not inmates, looked like many women on their wedding day, happy and excited. One of the brides was dressed in a magenta gown with her hair and makeup fixed elegantly for the affair.
Also in the courtroom was inmate Jonathan Leggett, who spoke with the Marion County Informer just before he became a married man. Leggett said he is in jail “mostly for drug charges,” adding, “It’s time for me to settle down and stop all this nonsense that took me away from my child and family.”
“It’s time for me to be a man,” said Leggett, noting that he was jailed in 2006 and is set to be released in 2016. His bride, Jenny Adams, had a tattoo of “Jonathan” on her chest and told the Informer that she felt good about marrying Leggett.
Being married and in jail will be hard because he can’t be there every day for his wife, said Eric Williams, another inmate who got married today. Asked how he felt about his wedding day, Williams said, “I’m happy. I loved her since the first time I saw her.”
Williams of McComb said he is in jail on two counts of “lustful purposes” and is scheduled to be released in about two years. Now that he is married, Williams said, “I’ll do the best I can. I’ll be supportive and be there everyway I can.”
After the marriage ceremonies, the grooms and their brides were allowed to visit outside the Justice Courtroom, while family gathered and took pictures. The inmates and their new wives hugged and kissed on each other. The black and white striped jail jumpsuits the inmates wore to their ceremonies could be thought of as tuxedos.
Clarence Jefferson, charged with felony DUI, exits Marion County Justice Court this morning.
By Josh Mitchell/Informer Publisher
A man arrested Friday by the Columbia Police Department on a charge of felony DUI had his initial appearance in Marion County Justice Court this morning.
After the court hearing, the suspect, Clarence D. Jefferson, 45, of Hattiesburg, told the Marion County Informer that he is not guilty.
According to the affidavit, Capt. Pearlie Hendricks of the Columbia Police Department spotted a vehicle sitting in the middle of the road with its signal light on and no where to turn. She later observed the same vehicle drive from side to side on Lafayette Street and make a wide turn onto Martin Luther King Avenue. Capt. Hendricks followed the vehicle, and it continued weaving and she initiated a traffic stop.
Jefferson pulled over and got out of the vehicle and walked toward Capt. Hendricks, who could smell alcohol on him, the affidavit states. Jefferson admitted to drinking “a few” and his speech was slurred, according to court documents. He refused to take field sobriety tests, and it was discovered that he was on probation for felony DUI, the affidavit states. Court documents state that he was also convicted of DUI on Jan. 29 in Marion County Justice Court and on April 6 in Petal Municipal Court.
His bond is set at $3,500, and he had an attorney appointed this morning in his initial court appearance.
William Magee
By Josh Mitchell/Informer Publisher
A Marion County man pleaded guilty in Justice Court on Thursday to a charge of domestic violence simple assault.
William J. Magee, 32, 83 Russell Lane, was ordered to pay a $275 fine and sentenced to six months in jail, but the jail term was suspended.
The affidavit in the case states that on May 31 Magee caused bodily injury to the victim by striking her with his fist. Magee was related to the victim and they resided together. The Informer does not identify victims of domestic violence.
Today in Justice Court, Magee was issued a protective order that prohibits him from being within 100 feet of the victim for 30 days. According to Justice Court, Magee stabbed a door with a knife attempting to gain access to the victim’s room.
Magee is also charged with disorderly conduct, resisting arrest and disturbance of a family in relation to the incident. Those charges came about when law enforcement attempted to take him into custody for the domestic violence charge on June 1.
The disturbance of a family charge alleges that Magee entered the victim’s residence and used abusive and offensive language. The resisting arrest charge alleges that Magee attempted to flee from a county law enforcement officer, and the disorderly conduct charge states that he refused to get in the patrol car. Magee has not yet entered a plea on those charges.
According to Justice Court, Magee has a total of $2,052 in unpaid court fines from previous chares of resisting arrest, DUI, profanity in a public place, petit larceny, false information, trespassing, larceny/joyriding and no driver license.
Calvin Sartin- Accused of sexual battery against 6-year-old girl
By Josh Mitchell/Informer Publisher
A man accused of committing sexual battery against a 6-year-old girl in Marion County had bond set at $50,000 in Justice Court on Thursday.
The defendant, Calvin Sartin, 30, of Prentiss, is charged with sexual battery and faces up to 30 years in prison if convicted.
According to the affidavit, Sartin engaged in sexual penetration with the girl “sometime just prior to the 16th of April 2009.” On April 16, 2009 a forensic interview was conducted with the child at the South Mississippi Child Advocacy Center. In the interview, the child said that Sartin committed the sexual battery on her, according to court documents.
Joseph Powell has lost two civil cases over missing horses and been convicted of animal cruelty.
A Marion County man on Tuesday in Justice Court lost a second civil case over a missing horse.
The man, Joseph Powell of Kokomo, was ordered to pay horse owner Donna Davis of Columbia $3,500 to cover the cost of the animal. According to Davis, Powell was boarding her horse, and when she asked him to return the animal he did not.
According to Justice Court officials, Powell claimed that Davis’s horse, a 4-year-old mare named Nibbles, was struck by lightning.
This is not the first time someone has claimed a horse has gone missing under Powell’s watch. Sonya Sanderson of Sumrall sued for the return of her horse in March. Powell said he did not know where the horse was and was ordered to pay Sanderson $3,500 as well.
Powell was also convicted of animal cruelty in March for returning one of Sanderson’s horses in a malnourished state, and he was sentenced to 45 days in jail. Powell was in the business of providing various horse services such as shoeing and reigning. Sanderson and Davis both claimed that they paid Powell for the services.
By Josh Mitchell/Informer Publisher
The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation today arrested former Columbia Police Detective Sherriann Fortenberry and an ex-jail guard on felony charges of delivering a cell phone to an inmate.
Marsha Gholar is the former Marion Walthall Correctional Facility guard charged with delivering a cell phone to an inmate. The affidavit states that Fortenberry, 53, 1317 Browns Ave., Columbia, and Gholar, 31, 66 Lampton Heights Lane, Columbia, in April of 2010 delivered a cell phone to an inmate incarcerated at the Marion Walthall Correctional Facility. To see Fortenberry’s affidavit, click this link: Affidavit
It is unclear if Fortenberry’s and Gholar’s cases are related. Fortenberry’s affidavit states that she delivered a cell phone to an inmate on April 23 while Gholar’s affidavit only says she delivered a cell phone in April of 2010.
A Justice Court warrant was issued today for Fortenberry and Gholar. Their initial court appearance in Marion County Justice Court was held this afternoon before Judge Gwen Broom, who set bond at $7,500. Gholar and Fortenberry have both posted bond and were apparently not incarcerated.
Prior to them being arrested today, a probable cause hearing was held in Marion County Circuit Court before Judge R.I. Prichard III. Judge Prichard signed an order that found that adequate probable cause existed for the issuance of an arrest warrant. In the probable cause hearing this morning, two Mississippi Bureau of Investigation officers testified. Fortenberry failed to appear at the probable cause hearing, while Gholar showed up but waived her rights to the formal hearing.
Broom said it will now be left up to the Grand Jury if there is an indictment against Fortenberry and Gholar. Fortenberry was fired by the Columbia Board of Aldermen last week after being placed on paid leave pending the investigation. She and Gholar have declined comment to the Marion County Informer. Gholar was last employed by the county on April 23 and had worked for the county since August 2008. Fortenberry had worked for the Columbia Police Department for 18 years.
The affidavit alleges that Gholar and Fortenberry violated state statute 47-5-193, which states,” It is unlawful for any officer or employee of the department, of any county sheriff’s department, of any private correctional facility in this state in which offenders are confined or for any other person to furnish, attempt to furnish, or assist in furnishing to any offender confined in this state any weapon, deadly weapon, unauthorized electronic device, cell phone, or any of its components or accessories to include, but not limited to, Subscriber Information Module (SIM) cards, chargers, etc. or contraband item. It is unlawful for any person to take, attempt to take, or assist in taking any weapon, deadly weapon, unauthorized electronic device or contraband item cell phone, or any of its components or accessories to include, but not limited to, Subscriber Information Module (SIM) cards, chargers, etc. or contraband item on property belonging to the department which is occupied or used by offenders, except as authorized by law.”
Marion County Justice Court Judge Sharon Whitfield fills out paperwork for Thomas Lee Ramos's initial court appearance on methamphetamine charges this morning.
By Josh Mitchell/Informer Publisher
Several defendants in drug cases had their initial court appearances this morning in Marion County Justice Court.
Bond was set at $150,000 for Thomas Lee Ramos, 26, of Kokomo, who is charged with manufacturing methamphetamine with intent to distribute while in possession of a firearm within 1500 feet of a church.
According to the affidavit, Ramos was manufacturing meth at his home at 20 Hollow Lane in Kokomo on May 7.
Ramos told the Marion County Informer this morning that, “I’ve never manufactured meth.”
Separately, Corey M. Walker, 22, of Columbia, is accused of possessing oxycotin on April 21. The affidavit states that Walker was found in possession of a syringe loaded with oxycotin and a spoon with oxycotin residue at East Columbia Baptist Church. His bond was set at $5,000.
Bond was set at $50,000 for Raffeal Anthon Simmons, 25, of Hattiesburg, for charges of possession of cocaine with intent to distribute in Marion County on May 7.
In another case, bond was set at $50,000 for Maurice John Hughes, 39, of Columbia, who is charged with possession of the controlled substance Roxicodone on May 5. According to Justice Court Judge Gwen Broom, Hughes was out on bond for a previous possession charge when he was arrested. He was only out on bond for about 10 days when he was arrested again and now the previous bond has been revoked.
Laura Miranda Lewis washes windows to work off almost $900 in unpaid Justice Court fines.
By Josh Mitchell/Informer Publisher
Laura Miranda Lewis has almost $900 in past due fines she owes to Marion County Justice Court, but she does not have a job.
For those who have no income to pay off their fines, there is a new program offered through Justice Court in which payments can be worked off.
Lewis works eight hours a day for the county doing tasks such as washing windows, and she earns minimum wage with all of her pay going toward paying off her fines.
She makes about $58 a day, which means she will have to work about 16 days to pay off her fines, which she got for charges of public drunk, simple assault and disturbing the peace.
Lewis said she likes the program because she had no way of paying off her fines before. “I didn’t have a job,” she said. “It’s nice. It really helps out a lot especially when you don’t have the money to pay it off.”
Lewis added that working off the fines develops character whereas sitting in jail does not do any good. Before the program started about a month ago, those with old fines could sit in jail for up to six months, which costs the county money to hold the prisoners. And when they were in jail, they had no way of paying off the fines.
Women who take part in the work program do tasks such as wash patrol cars, work around county offices, and pull weeds while men work on road crews, pick up garbage, and clean ditches. Justice Court fines are for traffic tickets and misdemeanors.
There are currently six working in the program, and Justice Court Clerk Ashley Purvis said the program is only available to those who are unemployed. Those who do not complete the program pay off the rest of their fines through serving time in jail at a rate of $25 a day. Purvis said there are $350,000 in delinquent fines owed to Justice Court, and some of those who owe are at-large. Those with overdue fines should contact Justice Court about the work program.
Melissa Edwards
Michael Bogle
Bond was set at $150,000 this afternoon in Justice Court for two Marion County residents charged with child abuse.
Melissa Edwards, 29, who is the mother of the 8-year-old boy, and her 50-year-old live-in boyfriend, Michael Bogle, were arrested yesterday at the Department of Human Services by the Columbia Police Department.
The boy’s teacher discovered severe bruising on his back at school on Tuesday. Further investigation revealed that the injuries were all over the child’s body.
Donna Davis of Columbia holds a picture of her horse that she says she turned over to Joseph Powell more than a year ago. She is suing Powell for the return of the horse or the value of it.
By Josh Mitchell/Informer Publisher
A Marion County man who was convicted last month of animal cruelty and lost a civil suit over a missing horse this month is facing another lawsuit from a woman who also claims her horse is missing.
Donna Davis of Columbia is suing Joseph Powell in Marion County Justice Court to get her horse or the value of it back. If Powell can’t produce the horse, Davis said she wants $3,500 from him. Powell was in the business of providing various horse services such as shoeing and reigning.
Powell lost a similar civil case this month when another woman, Sonya Sanderson of Sumrall, sued for the return of her horse. Powell said he did not know where the horse was and was ordered to pay Sanderson $3,500.
Davis believes her horse, a 4-year-old female named Nibbles, is either dead or has been sold. She said she paid Powell $250 for reigning her horse.
“I just want my horse back,” said Davis, crying. She said she bought the horse for her grandchildren and wanted Powell to reign in the mare so it would not be so wild. It was only expected to take two weeks for Powell to reign the horse, but it has been over a year since she turned over the animal to Powell.
Powell is currently serving a 45-day jail sentence for failing to properly feed and water another horse he was boarding for Sanderson. That horse was returned to Sanderson in a malnourished state.
Joseph Powell
Davis said when she has asked Powell about her horse, he always had a different excuse such as he was sick, his mom was in the hospital, his father had a heart attack, and he was working.
Davis said she took Powell for his word and did not think anything was wrong until she read a Marion County Informer article recently about him being convicted of animal cruelty for the way he treated Sanderson’s horse.
“Everything makes sense now,” said Davis. “I was shocked. That’s what I get for being naïve. It’s as much my fault as it is his.”
When she would call Powell to check on her horse, he “kept telling me everything was fine,” said Davis.
Former Marion County Sheriff's Office investigator Greg Elkins, in orange, turns away from the camera as he is led out of Justice Court this morning.
By Josh Mitchell/Informer Publisher
A former Marion County Sheriff’s Office investigator who was convicted in 2006 of manslaughter and who was arrested earlier this week had bond set at his initial appearance in Justice Court this morning.
Judge Sharon Whitfield set bond at $50,000 for Greg Elkins’ possession of methamphetamine charge and at $5,000 for the felony in possession of a firearm charge. Elkins’ next court appearance is scheduled for May 13 in Justice Court.
Elkins, 42, was arrested on Sunday by the Sheriff’s Office after he was pulled over and found to be in possession of approximately .27 grams of meth on Highway 98 East in Columbia, according to the affidavit.
Elkins pleaded guilty to manslaughter in Marion County Circuit Court in 2006 and was sentenced to 20 years in prison with only two years to serve and five years on post release supervision. According to court documents, Elkins shot and killed Marion County Sheriff’s Deputy Paul Hooper on Jan. 16, 2005.
On a recorded 911 call, Elkins can be heard saying that his wife was “messing around” with Hooper. Elkins later admitted to shooting Hooper and placing a gun in Hooper’s hand after the incident.
According to the court file, Elkins worked as a captain for the Columbia Police Department from 1992-2002 and as an investigator for the Sheriff’s Office from 2002-2004.
Joseph Powell
By Josh Mitchell/Informer Publisher
A Marion County man who was found guilty of criminal animal cruelty charges last month also lost a civil suit in the case on Tuesday.
In the civil case judgment, Joseph Powell of Kokomo was ordered to pay $3,500 because a horse he was boarding is now missing. Justice Court Judge Gwen Broom presided over the civil hearing.
The horse owner, Sonya Sanderson of Sumrall, stated in her court file that Powell did not return her horse after she requested numerous times. “He says he cannot produce the horse and does not know its whereabouts,” the statement in the court file adds.
According to court officials, Powell claimed that the horse escaped.
Powell was boarding two horses for Sanderson, and he returned one of the animals in malnourished condition. Last month in the criminal case, Powell was found guilty of misdemeanor animal cruelty in Justice Court and ordered to pay $2,500 in restitution and spend 45 days in Marion County Jail.
By Josh Mitchell/Informer Publisher
Marion County Sheriff Berkley Hall
Marion County Justice Court officials today disputed Sheriff Berkley Hall’s claim that his deputy was not subpoenaed to testify in a DUI trial.
Rayanne Wheat, 23, of Marion County, was found not guilty of DUI last week after Deputy Shane Flynt failed to show up in court to testify against her.
Hall told the Marion County Informer that the Justice Court never subpoenaed Flynt to appear for the trial. But Justice Court officials said today that they did subpoena Flynt and to prove it provided the Marion County Informer with a copy of the summons. Constable Eugene Ryals served Flynt with the subpoena on March 16, the document states.
To see a copy of the subpoena click here: Subpoena
Justice Court Judge Sharon Whitfield said the Court did its job in terms of giving Flynt proper notice. Whitfield added that the Court should not be blamed for Flynt’s failing to show up.
Hall was out of the office today and could not be reached for comment. Last week, Hall said the only notice the Court gave Flynt was a phone call the day of the trial.
Justice Court Clerk Ashley Purvis said she called Flynt the morning of the trial to let him know he needed to be in court. Purvis did not have to make that call to Flynt but was doing so as a courtesy, the other Justice Court judge, Gwen Broom, said. Flynt had already been given proper notice through the summons to appear in court, Broom added.
Flynt said he would not be able to make it to court because he was tied up doing other things off duty, according to Purvis. Purvis called Flynt a second time and asked him if he would like the case continued or to proceed, and Flynt said to proceed.
Without Flynt there to testify, the case would either have to be continued or dismissed. County Prosecutor Scott Phillips did not ask Judge Sharon Whitfield for a continuance, so Wheat was found not guilty.
Phillips told the Informer last week that he did not ask Judge Whitfield for a continuance because the defense had already continued the case numerous times, and he was “tired of fooling with it.”
Hall told the Marion County Informer last week that the case should have been continued until his deputy could show up to testify.
By Josh Mitchell/Informer Publisher
Marion County Sheriff Berkley Hall
A DUI case against a woman should have been continued rather than thrown out when a deputy did not show up in court to testify, Marion County Sheriff Berkley Hall said.
On Thursday, Rayanne Wheat, 23 of Columbia, was found not guilty of DUI in Marion County Justice Court after the deputy who cited her failed to show up for court to give testimony.
The deputy, Shane Flynt, could not be in court that morning because he was in the process of moving, according to Sheriff Hall. Moreover, Hall said the court never subpoenaed Flynt to show up in court.
The only notice Flynt was given to be in court was a phone call from a clerk just hours before the case was to be heard, Hall noted. Flynt told the clerk that he could not make it to court that day because he was tied up doing other things, Hall said.
According to County Prosecutor Scott Phillips, the DUI case had already been continued numerous times by the defense because of scheduling conflicts with Wheat’s attorney, Carol Ann Estes Bustin. Phillips said he did not ask Justice Court Judge Sharon Whitfield for a continuance on Thursday because, “I was tired of fooling with” the case.
Hall said the court should have contacted him before deciding to dimiss the case, adding that his deputies work too hard for cases to just be thrown out.
By Josh Mitchell/Informer Publisher
A Columbia woman was found not guilty of DUI in Marion County Justice Court today after the deputy who cited her did not show up in court to testify.
County Prosecutor Scott Phillips said he did not ask Judge Sharon Whitfield for a continuance when Deputy Shane Flynt failed to show up in court, because “I was tired of fooling with” the case. The case against the defendant, Rayanne Marie Wheat, 23, had already been continued several times at the “behest of the defendant” because of scheduling conflicts with her attorney, Carol Ann Estes Bustin, according to Phillips. Bustin is the Lamar County Justice Court judge.
Wheat’s citation states that she was cited Aug. 31, 2009. Neither Flynt nor Marion County Sheriff Berkley Hall could be reached for comment. It is unclear why Flynt did not show up in court.
This photo shows the malnourished horse's ribs.
By Josh Mitchell/Informer
A Marion County man was found guilty of misdemeanor animal cruelty in Justice Court this morning for failing to supply a horse he was boarding with proper food and water.
Justice Court Judge Sharon Whitfield sentenced Joseph Powell, 579 Bayliss Chapel Road, to 45 days in Marion County Jail and ordered that he pay $2,500 in restitution to cover veterinarian bills. Photographs show the outline of the horse’s ribs.
According to court officials, Powell was in the business of providing various horse services such as boarding, breaking and shoeing.
Joseph Powell
Sonya Sanderson of Sumrall paid Powell $3,000 to board two of her horses over about six months while she was getting a fence built on her property, court officials said.
When Sanderson tried to get her horses back from Powell, she had difficulty reaching him, but he finally returned one of the animals.
When Sanderson saw the condition of her horse, she filed the animal cruelty charges against Powell in February. In court this morning, Powell claimed that he supplied the horse with food, but it would not eat, court officials said.
Powell claims that the other horse he was holding for Sanderson jumped the fence and that he is unaware of its whereabouts. Sanderson has filed a civil suit against Powell for that horse. The civil case goes to trial in Justice Court on April 13.
Powell was holding the horses at a location on Bayliss Chapel Road and then moved them to Statham Road, according to court officials.
Sanderson could not be reached for comment. Powell’s attorney, Michael Kuykendall of Columbia, could not be reached for comment either.
By Josh Mitchell/Informer Publisher
The suspects are taken into Justice Court for their initial appearances.
Fifteen suspects were arrested on various drug charges Thursday in a large-scale warrant sweep conducted by the Marion County SWAT Team.
According to Pearl River Basin Narcotics Task Force Commander Brad McDermit, the arrests came after a year’s worth of investigations that involved undercover agents purchasing drugs off some of the suspects.
The 15 suspects’ cases are unrelated; they were simply arrested as part of the same warrant sweep. Drugs involved in the arrests included crack cocaine, powder cocaine and marijuana.
The suspects had their initial appearances in Marion County Justice Court this morning before judges Gwen Broom and Sharon Whitfield.
More suspects arrested in the warrant sweep make their way into the courtroom.
The Marion County SWAT Team, Narcotics Task Force and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office began executing the warrants Thursday morning at around 8:30. The first warrant was issued at 515 Nathan St. where Freddrick “Polkie” Showers, 44, was arrested on two counts of sale of a controlled substance within 1500 feet of a school and possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute while in possession of a firearm.
The agencies executed the search warrants throughout the day in various locations until 2 a.m. Four suspects remain at large, and their names are not being released.
All of the suspects are from Marion County, except for one, who is from Bassfield. The suspect from Bassfield has not been caught.
Others arrested in the sweep were:
Richard Varnado, 44, felony possession of a controlled substance; Seth Coker, 23, sale of a controlled substance within 1500 feet of a church; Chris Peters, 41, sale of a controlled substance within 1500 feet of a church; Tommy Yawn, 38, manufacturing marijuana; Jerry Harrien, 39, possession of a controlled substance; Jeffery Boyd, 46, sale of a controlled substance within 1500 feet of a school; Carl Peters, 28, sale of a controlled substance within 1500 feet of a school; Justin Jefferson, 21, conspiracy to sell a controlled substance; Dexter Ezell, 50, sale of a controlled substance; De’Vree Allen, 22, two counts of sale of a controlled substance within 1500 feet of a school; Darian McClendon, 41, sale of a controlled substance within 1500 of a church; Desman Mikell, 19, sale of a controlled substance within 1500 feet of a school; Mary Lou Terrell, 46, sale of a controlled substance; and Jarvis Conerly, felony possession of a controlled substance.
Andres Lemus, who is suspected in a rash of Foxworth house burglaries, walks out of Marion County Justice Court this morning with Sheriff's Office Investigator Michael Stevens following.
By Josh Mitchell/Informer Publisher
A man who is suspected in several burglaries in the Foxworth area was arrested by the Marion County Sheriff’s Office this week.
Andres Lemus, 47, of Foxworth is charged with five counts of burglary, possession of a weapon by a convicted felon and possession of a stolen firearm, and he had his initial appearance in Marion County Justice Court this morning where his bond was set at $200,000.
Marion County Sheriff’s Office Investigator Michael Stevens said he got a break in the case on Wednesday when State Bank reported that Lemus may have been trying to forge checks.
Lemus was arrested near the Post Office while he was walking to his vehicle. Stevens and Deputy Pete Williams went to Lemus’ residence in Foxworth and behind the house found a container hidden in the woods that contained items that had been stolen in recent residential burglaries. The items included checkbooks, Social Security cards and firearms.
In addition to the five burglaries that Lemus is tied to in Foxworth, he is also suspected in two burglaries in Walthall County, said Stevens.
Lemus, originally from Cuba, has been living in the United States for 30 years, and officials are trying to determine if he is here legally.
Lemus is suspected in burglaries that occurred in Marion County on Bill McCain Road, New Hope Church Road and Whistle Road.
At least six guns were stolen, said Stevens, adding that Lemus was allegedly making entry into the homes by prying open doors and breaking windows.
Lemus will have his preliminary hearing in Justice Court on Feb. 11 when it will be decided if there is enough evidence to send his case to Circuit Court for a jury trial.
