The following information is gleaned from incident reports, which are public record, from the Jones County Sheriff’s Department and Gray Police Department Jan. 30 – Feb. 4, 2023
Jan. 30
Officer Pointer responded to a local business in reference to a shoplifting occurrence. When Pointer arrived at the business he met with the manager. The manager advised the officer that he saw on the store camera footage an older male take a Craftsman tool set, a universal joint and a bottle of STP octane booster.
The manager also told Pointer that the man left the business in a very unique vehicle. Pointer viewed the store video and saw the male walking out with the items and get in the vehicle. The officer was familiar with the vehicle the subject got into from a previous case and was able to locate the vehicle. Pointer walked up and knocked on the door of a camper and he heard a male voice say to come in. The officer then advised the male subject he needed to exit the camper.
When the male subject came to the door, he was wearing the same shirt Pointer observed in the video footage at the business. Pointer advised the male that he was under arrest for shoplifting. All the items that were taken were found in the subject’s vehicle. Dispatch advised Pointer that the subject had a suspended license and was wanted out of Carroll County. The male was transported to the Jones County LEC where he was issued tickets for suspended license, shoplifting under $500.00 and also issued a criminal trespass notification from the business for life, then turned over to jail staff for booking.
Jan. 31
Officer James was on patrol near West Clinton Street when he observed a vehicle with no running tail lights.
James conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle. The male driver presented his license to James and the officer ran the subject’s information through the MDT database. The information came back to show the driver had a warrant out of Monroe County.
Dispatch confirmed the warrant and Monroe County advised they wanted the subject. The driver was given a warning for no taillights and transported to the Jones County LEC where he was turned over to jail staff for processing.
Feb. 4
Officer Josey was sitting stationary when he ran a GA tag off a vehicle to check for valid registration. The information came back to show that the vehicle had canceled registration as well as no valid insurance. Josey initiated a traffic stop on the vehicle at that time. When Josey made contact with the driver, he could smell the odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle. The driver advised Josey that the car did not have any registration nor insurance because the car had just been sitting and he canceled it. The driver stated that he had to go pick his son up, so he just took a chance driving the vehicle.
Josey had the driver exit the vehicle and called for Officer Farley to come stand by on scene while he conducted a search of the vehicle. The driver told the officer there was marijuana in his left thigh pants pocket. When Officer Farley arrived, the other passengers in the vehicle were asked to exit the vehicle to conduct the search. No further contraband was found during the search however dispatch advised that the driver’s license was also suspended. The driver was transported to the Jones County LEC where he was issued citations for operating a vehicle with canceled registration, no insurance, driving while license suspended and possession of marijuana less than an ounce. The driver was released on his citations.
Deputy Caldwell was conducting routine patrol on Highway 49 when he observed a vehicle traveling at a high rate of speed. Caldwell checked his Raptor RP radar, and it alerted the vehicle was traveling 75 mph and started increasing speed up to 77 mph. At that time, Caldwell initiated a traffic stop on the vehicle. The deputy made contact with the driver and advised him the reason for the stop was for speeding. The male driver told Caldwell he did not believe he was going that fast. When the deputy asked the subject if he wanted him to perform an accuracy check on the speed, the driver advised the deputy he did not. While speaking to the driver the deputy smelled the strong odor of marijuana. Sgt.
Jackson arrived on scene to assist.
Caldwell had the driver exit the vehicle to conduct a probable cause search and asked the driver if there was marijuana inside the vehicle. The male subject told the deputy there was a little bit of marijuana in the car in the rear passenger seat. The male subject then told the deputy there was a “good bit, so he didn’t have to keep running around to buy more.” Caldwell began to search the vehicle. He located a black zip up bag in the rear passenger seat and inside was three bags of suspected marijuana, over an ounce worth.
There was also a jar that contained more suspected marijuana, digital scales, and numerous empty plastic baggies possibly used for distribution. Also recovered was $167.00 in US currency, and a Canik 9mm handgun. The male subject was placed in handcuffs and transported to the Jones County LEC where he received two warrants for possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, possession of a firearm during commission of a crime and a citation for speeding.
