Video: Increased Patrols In S. Lee County Lead To Drug Arrests

[syndicaster id=’5993533′]

TUPELO, Miss. (WCBI) — Increased patrols in an area of Lee County targeted by burglars lands two women in jail on drug related charges.

This weekend, Lee County deputies set up a safety checkpoint in the southern part of the county.  The checkpoint is part of stepped up patrols in an effort to nab those who have been breaking into homes and stealing firearms.

During the checkpoint, officers noticed someone in an approaching car throw something out of the window.  Deputies found the item thrown from the car and determined it was crystal meth.

Thirty two year old Miriam Hallmark and 42 year old Rita Buckingham are both charged with possession of methamphetamine.

Sheriff Jim Johnson says Buckingham is under supervision from MDOC for similar charges and she recently ran afoul of the law in Itawamba County.

“She gets out on bond, that doesn’t violate her probation, she comes over here, gets in trouble, for doing exactly the same thing, that hadn’t violated her probation, she gets before the judge, the judge asks her the question , can you afford an attorney, she don’t have a job, that hadn’t violated probation, she’s paying for this dope someway or another and now the taxpayers are going to have to pay for this attorney for her defense and the system’s broke,” Sheriff Johnson said.

Buckingham’s bond was set at 35 thousand dollars and Hallmark’s bond is set at 20 thousand dollars. Sheriff Johnson says the two women are not connected to the residential burglaries, but he believes the break ins are drug related.