A joint undercover project between a city-county law enforcement agency and the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics recently netted three arrests on drug charges.
According to CPD Public Information Officer Terrie Songer, agents with the Columbus-Lowndes Metro Narcotics Unit, with assistance from the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, initiated a series of undercover operations that culminated in the arrests of three individuals on various drug charges.
In the late hours on Monday, Cedrick Lamont Miller, 28 of 109 McHall Drive in Columbus, was arrested in the Heritage Inn parking lot on Highway 45 North in Columbus and charged with sale of cocaine.
In the same operation, during the early morning hours of Tuesday, Lefredrick D. Jackson, 27, of 221 Constance Lane in Columbus, was arrested and charged with sale of cocaine, possession of cocaine with intent to distribute and endangering the welfare of a child.
Gina Hill, 23, Jackson”s girlfriend who loves at the same address, was also charged with possession of cocaine with intent to distribute and endangering the welfare of a child.
“Agents seized approximately 60 grams of crack cocaine with an estimated street value of $6,500 from the residence. Jackson was out on parole from MDOC at the time of arrest. All three were transported to the Lowndes County Adult Detention Center, where they are awaiting bond,” Songer said.
Officers work on scams
The CPD has reported they have been busy dealing with scam artists in the Columbus area.
n On March 29 an officer was dispatched to the Sears parking lot, at 1404 Old Aberdeen Road in reference to a scam.
The complainant told the officer she was approached in the parking lot by two unknown black females.
“One of the females told the complainant she had found a wallet which contained a lot of money which she was going to use to buy $20,000 worth of stocks and bonds her boss had for sale,” Songer explained. “The complainant was told if she wanted in on that deal she would have to invest her own money into the money they already had.”
The complainant then drove to the bank as the two females rode with her and withdrew $800 from her account.
All three returned to the Sears parking lot. One of the females told the complainant to come inside Sears with her.
“Once inside Sears, the female that was with the complainant told her to wait inside of Sears and she would come and get her when they were ready to divide the money. The two females never came back,” Songer said.
n On March 30, an officer was dispatched to Kroger parking lot, located at 1829 Highway 45 N. in reference to a scam.
The complainant told the officer she was approached by a black female that started a conversation with her about her family and other things.
“The complainant said a black male then approached them and said he had found an envelope with some type of Hispanic writing on it. They all looked inside the envelope and it appeared to have a large amount of cash in it,” Songer said.
The male subject said he was going inside Great American Cash Advance and speak to his boss in reference to changing out the money because of the serial numbers on them. The male came back and told the complainant he would give her $10,000 of the money if she would give him $1,000 for changing out the money.
“The complainant and the two subjects drove to the bank and withdrew $1,000. The complainant gave the female the money. The two subjects got out of the complainant”s car and walked toward Great American Cash Advance and never returned to the car,” Songer said.
The CPD”s Criminal Investigations Division was notified and has taken over the investigations.
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