Sheriffs Say Ability To Share Info, Intel Through N MS Narcotics Unit Is Key To Cracking Drug Cases

LEE & MONROE COUNTIES  (WCBI) – An alleged drug dealer is in jail after an investigation by the North Mississippi Narcotics Unit.

For years police suspected the owner of the property behind me was involved in illegal drug activity. The property sits in two jurisdictions, Lee and Monroe counties. That meant the reach of the long arm of the law was limited, until recently.

Fifty five year old Samuel Leonard Ray was arrested without incident Wednesday morning, when the Lee County Sheriff’s Department, Monroe County Sheriff’s Department and North Mississippi Narcotics Unit served a search warrant at his home on Causey Road.

Investigators seized five firearms, $6,376 in cash, along with methamphetamine and marijuana. Ray is charged with possession of meth, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession of stolen property.

“Definitely couldn’t have done it without Lee County’s help,” said Monroe County Sheriff Kevin Crook.

When  Sheriff  Crook took office in January, one of his first goals was to get the sheriff’s department back into the North Mississippi Narcotics Unit. The previous sheriff had pulled the department from the unit. Sheriff Crook says the ability to share intelligence with others in the unit is vital in cases like this one, where a suspect’s property is in two counties.

“Because it is around the lines of Lee County, Monroe County, normally, those areas aren’t subject to a whole lot of patrol, because they are just on the outskirts, and I know for us, we have had three shootings since January in this area, multiple calls, since I took office,” Sheriff Crook said.

“The benefit of working multiple counties is, take Monroe County for instance, if they are in the middle of Amory and they get 20 pounds of crystal meth, we’re proud of that, it never made it to Lee County, if we get it then it never made it to another county, because drugs don’t stop at county lines or city municipal limits,” said Lee County Sheriff Jim Johnson.

With the addition of Monroe County, the North Mississippi Narcotics Unit now covers ten jurisdictions throughout the region.

Ray’s bond was set at one hundred thousand dollars. He also had an outstanding warrant from MDOC.