Seven local residents have been arrested on drug-related felony indictments handed down by a federal grand jury in Oxford, Tallahatchie County Sheriff Jimmy Fly announced Friday, April 8.
The sheriff said six of the seven were rounded up during a multi-agency operation on April 1 while the remaining person turned himself in to officials three days later.
After being taken into custody, the defendants were transported to Oxford, where they were processed, faced an initial appearance in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi and posted a $10,000 unsecured appearance bond.
Court records show that the indictments were issued March 22.
Fly said the latest charges stem from a continuing investigation into illegal drug activity in Tallahatchie County that to date has spanned several years. Nearly 20 local residents were arrested during another such roundup in September.
Fly said the Drug Enforcement Administration, Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, U.S. Marshals Service and Tallahatchie County Sheriff’s Office took part in the most recent operations in the county.
The following seven Tallahatchians were named in federal indictments, all for felony charges related to in excess of 50 grams of methamphetamine:
» Contreal Bolden, aka “Mont,” 43, of 16 Garrett Road, Tutwiler, on charges of two counts of sale of a controlled substance and one count of conspiracy to distribute, dating as far back as November 2017
» Marissa Ellis, 31, of 1157 Quarter Mill Road, Sumner, on a charge of sale of a controlled substance, dating to August and September 2021
» William Garner, aka “Willie,” 64, of 530 Goosepond Circle, Tutwiler, on one charge of conspiracy to distribute and five counts of sale of a controlled substance, dating from 2017 to 2019
» Damion Jones, 30, of 425 Rosalind St., Charleston, on a charge of sale of a controlled substance, dating to November 2021
» Atavio McIntyre, 32, of 715 Sanders Dr., Charleston, on two counts of sale of a controlled substance, both charges dating to October 2021
» Anterion Wiley, aka “Duke,” 21, of 1090 Carter Road, Philipp, on one charge of conspiracy to distribute and three counts of sale of a controlled substance, dating to August and September 2021
» Antonio Wiley, aka “Wild Bill,” 42, of 1090 Carter Road, Philipp, on one charge of conspiracy to distribute and three counts of sale of a controlled substance, dating to August and September 2021
During arraignment proceedings, all seven have pleaded not guilty to the charges and have trial dates set as follows: Bolden and Garner, May 16 in Oxford; Ellis, Anterion Wiley and Antonio Wiley, May 16 in Greenville; Jones, May 23 in Oxford; and McIntyre, May 23 in Oxford.
If convicted of any single count, defendants that have no prior felony drug conviction face penalties of not less than 10 years nor more than life imprisonment, a fine of not more than $10 million, or both; supervised release for at least five years; ineligibility of federal benefits for up to five years after conviction; and a $100 special assessment.
Defendants with a record of a previous felony drug conviction face harsher potential penalties of not less than 15 years nor more than life, a fine of not more than $20 million, or both; supervised release for at least 10 years; ineligibility of federal benefits for up to 10 years after conviction; and a $100 special assessment upon conviction of any one of their charges.
