Cash, Drugs Seized In Arrest
Robert Anderson was arrested on March 14 before deputies executed a search warrant at his residence on Hwy. 32 outside of Oakland. Authorities seized almost two pounds of marijuana as well as other drugs and over $10,000 in cash. The department will start the forfeiture process to keep the money, which will be deposited into the drug seized fund and used for law enforcement.
WATER VALLEY – The number of inmates housed at the Yalobusha County Detention Center swelled to 54 Friday night, a record since the new jail opened in 2015.
The count included an Oakland man who faces multiple drug charges following a year-long investigation by the Yalobusha County Sheriff’s Department. Sheriff Lance Humphreys reported Robert Anderson was arrested Thursday night and a search warrant was executed at his residence on Hwy. 32 outside of Oakland.
On Friday night the sheriff said there were 51 inmates when he left and three more were booked following a detail by troopers with the Mississippi Highway Patrol, pushing the number to 54. The count included 24 inmates who are not eligible for bond, nine with bonds over $20,000, 18 regular inmates and the six state inmates recently moved to the facility for the county’s work program. The jail can house a maximum of 60 inmates.
In Thursday’s arrest, deputies seized almost two pounds of marijuana, a half-ounce of methamphetamine, hydrocodone, ecstasy and over $10,000 in cash during the investigation. Anderson is charged with possession of methamphetamine, possession of marijuana, possession of Schedule IV Narcotics and driving with a suspended license.
The sheriff reported Anderson was taken into custody during a traffic stop near his residence for driving with a suspended driver’s license.
“For his safety and the safety of our deputies, we wanted to take him into custody at a location away from his house,” Humphreys said about the arrest. Deputies found $4,800 in cash and trace amounts of alleged drugs in his vehicle. Humphreys also said his department can start the process to seize the money in the vehicle due to the fact that their K-9 alerted on the cash.
After the initial arrest Anderson and deputies then went to his house to execute the search warrant.
“The smell of marijuana was overwhelming as soon as we entered his house,” Humphreys said. Much of the alleged drugs were located on the kitchen counter inside the residence. The sheriff said money was hidden in different locations inside, describing the search as a treasure hunt. Anderson was cooperative and even assisted deputies with the search for the stashed cash. The money in the residence was seized.
“He told me he knew it was coming,” Humphreys said about the arrest. “He said he had gotten careless.”
Deputies also documented numerous items in the residence that were likely stolen and exchanged for drugs. The items included tools, tires, chainsaws, heaters and other items.
“We have received numerous complaints about this individual,” Humphreys said. “But it takes time to gather enough evidence to allow us to obtain a search warrant.”
The sheriff also said additional charges against Anderson will be presented to a grand jury. He is currently in custody at the Yalobusha County Detention Center.
Other recent arrests by the sheriff’s department includes:
• Michael Hastings and Jerryco Green were charged with burglary and grand larceny on March 12 after being linked to a pair of burglaries on County Road 80 a week earlier. Green is also charged with felon in possession of a weapon.
The sheriff reported the men were charged after multiple items reported stolen in break-ins the previous week were recovered at the residence where the men were living, which was also on County Road 80. The sheriff said the Coffeeville Police Department assisted in the investigation.
“They had a warrant on Hastings, so when we got a tip that he may be connected to the break-ins, we went to his residence to serve the warrant,” the sheriff explained. While outside his residence, deputies observed an ammo can that matched the description of the stolen property.
“At that point we were prepared to get a search warrant, but Hastings consented to a search of his residence and even told us the missing rifle was hidden in a wall inside,” the sheriff added.
Items recovered during the investigation included an AR-15 rifle, ammunition and an ammo box, money and credit cards.
“There was additional property in the residence that may have been stolen, possibly in a neighboring county and this case remains under investigation,” Humphreys added.
Greene is originally from Chickasaw County and had prior felony charges in Grenada County. He was on probation at the time of his arrest. Hastings is from Grenada. Both men were booked in the Yalobusha County Detention Center.
• Randy Tiner of Sardis and Kristina Wirt of Courtland were charged with possession of methamphetamine on March 7. The arrests were made after Narcotics Investigator Thomas West responded to a report of a vehicle driving in the campgrounds at Chickasaw Hill with no headlights on. West found the vehicle around 1:30 a.m. parked near the campgrounds and the occupants inside were disrobed.
When West got the occupants out of the vehicle he ran Tiner’s information and learned that he was wanted by the Mississippi Department of Corrections for parole violation. During the arrest West also discovered alleged methamphetamine inside the vehicle. Tiner and Wirt were booked in the Yalobusha County Detention Center.
