Oxford, MS. — Fourteen law enforcement officials from the Mississippi Delta have been arrested and charged in connection with a large-scale drug trafficking conspiracy, the FBI and U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Mississippi announced on October 30.
According to investigators, the officers allegedly accepted bribes to protect the criminal operation, while six other individuals are accused of impersonating law enforcement to aid the conspiracy. “These subjects undermined the integrity of the badge,” said FBI Jackson Special Agent in Charge Robert Eikhoff.
The coordinated arrests took place in the early morning hours of October 30 across two states, with support from the U.S. Marshals Service and SWAT teams from multiple FBI field offices, including Birmingham, Dallas, Jackson, and New Orleans.
“This was a multi-year investigation that covered multiple jurisdictions,” said FBI Jackson Assistant Special Agent in Charge Crystal Bender Sims.
FBI Co-Deputy Director Andrew Bailey described the arrests as a message to both honest and corrupt officers alike. “Let this be a lesson for those sworn to serve the public,” Bailey said. “If you’re a good law enforcement officer, the FBI will always stand with you. But for those corrupt individuals who abuse their office, we will come for you and hold you accountable.”
All 20 individuals have been charged with drug trafficking, and most also face firearms charges. “We will continue to partner with the United States Attorney’s Office to weed out public corruption of any kind,” Eikhoff added.
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