• Twenty people, including 14 current and former law enforcement officers, have pleaded not guilty to charges in a Mississippi drug trafficking scheme.
• The accused, which include two Mississippi sheriffs, allegedly took bribes to provide armed escort for what they believed were cocaine shipments.
• The yearslong investigation involved an undercover FBI agent posing as a member of a Mexican drug cartel.

Twenty people, including 14 current and former law enforcement officers, have each entered a plea of not guilty to charges in a drug trafficking scheme spanning across multiple counties in the Mississippi Delta region of Mississippi and Tennessee.

Two Mississippi sheriffs, Washington County Sheriff Milton Gaston and Humphreys County Sheriff Bruce Williams, were among those arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

In addition to the two sheriffs, those charged include: Brandon Addison, Javery Howard, Truron Grayson, Sean Williams, Dexture Franklin, Wendell Johnson, Marcus Nolan, Aasahn Roach, Jeremy Sallis, Torio Chaz Wiseman, Pierre Lakes, Derrik Wallace, Marquivious Bankhead, Chaka Gaines, Martavis Moore, Jamario Sanford, Marvin Flowers and Dequarian Smith. All were charged with drug distribution.

Of the 20 individuals charged, 19 are accused of illegally carrying a firearm in relation to a drug trafficking crime.

During this yearslong investigation, officers allegedly took bribes to allow or facilitate the transport of drugs. Some bribes were as large as $20,000 and $37,000. Federal authorities announced the indictments last week.

According to indictments, law enforcement officers provided armed escort services on multiple occasions to an FBI agent posing as a member of a Mexican drug cartel.

The indictments allege the officers understood they were helping to transport 25 kilograms (55 pounds) of cocaine through Mississippi Delta counties along U.S. Highway 61 and into Memphis. Some of the officers also provided escort services to protect the transportation of drug proceeds, according to the indictments.

Federal officials said the investigation began when people who had been arrested complained about having to pay bribes to various individuals.

“It’s just a monumental betrayal of public trust,” U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner said at an Oct. 30 news conference.

Charges against two people — Amber Holmes and Tyquana Rucker — who were initially named in the indictments, were dropped/dismissed.

According to court records, all of those accused have waived their appearance for an arraignment and entered a plea of not guilty to all counts against them. Below is a list of those arrested and the number of counts each face as well as their employment locations at the time of the alleged crimes:

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One lengthy indictment shows:

1. Brandon Addison — employed first with Hollandale Police Dept. and later with Humphreys Co. Sheriff’s Office, faces 10 counts
2. Javery Howard — employed first with Metcalf Police Dept. and later with Hollandale Police Dept., faces 12 counts
3. Milton Gaston — employed as Washington County Sheriff, faces 3 counts
4. Truron Grayson — employed with Humphreys Co. Sheriff’s Office, faces 8 counts
5. Bruce Williams — employed as the Humphreys County Sheriff, faces 3 counts
6. Sean Williams — employed with Yazoo City Police Dept., faces 8 counts
7. Dexture Franklin — employed with Washington Co. Sheriff’s Office, faces 8 counts
8. Wendell Johnson — employed with Bolivar Co. Sheriff’s Office, faces 6 counts
9. Marcus Nolan — faces 4 counts
10. Aasahn Roach — faces 4 counts
11. Jeremy Sallis — faces 4 counts
12. Torio Chaz Wiseman — faces 4 counts
13. Pierre Lakes — faces 2 counts
14. Derrik Wallace — faces 2 counts

Another indictment shows:

1. Jamario Sanford — employed with Greenwood Police Dept., faces 3 counts
2. Marvin Flowers — employed with the Sunflower Co. Sherriff’s Office, faces 3 counts

A scheduling order filed in court records state trials for both Sanford and Flowers are set for 10:30 a.m. Dec. 15, 2025, in Greenville before District Judge Debra M. Brown.

A motion to continue the trial for Sanford was filed, but no order had been filed by a judge at the time of this publication.

Other indictments, filed separately from each other, show:

1. Martavis Moore — employed with Greenville Police Dept., faces two counts
   • Moore faces two counts in connection with protecting the transport of illegal narcotics through Greenville. In exchange, he allegedly received $5,000 in bribe money.
   • A scheduling order filed in court records state trial for Moore is set for 10:30 a.m. Dec. 15, 2025, in Greenville before District Judge Debra M. Brown.
2. Marquavious Bankhead — employed with Mississippi Highway Patrol, faces one count
   • Bankhead allegedly was hired by a former State Trooper, to ensure “the road was clear of MHP Interdiction Units” and others as cartel members were traveling through Greenwood and surrounding areas. He received a $5,000 bribe for his efforts.
   • A scheduling order filed in court records state trial for Moore is set for 9:40 a.m. Dec. 15, 2025, in Oxford before Senior Judge Michael P. Mills.
3. Chaka Gaines — employed with Greenville Police Dept., faces two counts
   • Gaines allegedly received $5,000 to protect FBI agents posing as cartel members when they passed through Greenville.
   • A scheduling order filed in court records state trial for Gaines is set for 9:40 a.m. Dec. 15, 2025, in Oxford before Senior Judge Michael P. Mills.
4. Dequarian Smith — employed with Humphreys Co. Sheriff’s Office and the Isola Police Dept., faces one count
   • Smith allegedly received a $500 to protect drug runners in LeFlore, Sunflower and Washington counties.
   • A scheduling order filed in court records state trial for Smith is set for 10:30 a.m. Dec. 22, 2025, in Greenville before District Judge Debra M. Brown.

Pam Dankins is the breaking news reporter for the Clarion Ledger. Have a tip? Email her at pdankins@gannett.com.