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News/Press Releases for 2004

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DPS Funds DUI Training (12/20/2004)
The Mississippi Department of Public Safety has issued grant money that will assist local prosecutors in obtaining DUI convictions.

DPS & UMC Partner to Protect Disabled Women (12/15/2004)
Mississippi First Lady Marsha Barbour, Commissioner of Public Safety Rusty Fortenberry, and representatives of the School of Nursing at the University of Mississippi Medical Center announced a program to educate and train nurses to deal with the despicable crime of violence against women with disabilities.

Sixth Person Charged in Marion County Slaying (11/04/2004)
Authorities have charged another person with capital murder in the slaying of a Marion County businesswoman. Donald Earl Ray, 27, of Columbia was arrested late Wednesday afternoon and is being held in the Marion County Detention Center awaiting an initial appearance.

Two Additional Arrests in Marion County Homicide (11/04/2004)
Two brothers from Columbia have been charged with conspiracy to commit capital murder as the investigation into the murder of a Marion County businesswoman continues.

Capital Murder Charges Filed Against Three Columbia Residents (11/02/2004)
Three of the five people charged with the murder of a well-known Marion County businesswoman made initial appearances in Marion County Justice Court this morning (November 2, 2004).

Amory Man Held on $2 Million Bond (09/27/2004)
A two-million dollar bond has been place on an Amory man in connection with the weekend shooting of an Aberdeen Police officer.

Texas Speeders Caught with Marijuana (09/23/2004)
Two Texas men were charged today after being caught with nearly 70 pounds of marijuana.

Capital Murder Suspect Caught (08/17/2004)
Agents from the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation (MBI) with Rankin and Neshoba County Sheriff's Deputies apprehended a man who was wanted on capital murder and kidnapping charges.


Capital Murder Suspect Sought in Jackson Area (08/16/2004)
Agents from the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation believe a capital murder suspect from Neshoba County may be living and working in the Jackson area.

MBI Makes Arrest in Issaquena Murder Case (08/10/2004)
Agents from the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation (MBI) arrested a Jackson man and charged him in connection with the February 22, 2004 murder of a Mayersville woman.

Drug Arrests Highest in Three Years (08/06/2004)
Governor Haley Barbour along with Mississippi Department of Public Safety (DPS) Commissioner Rusty Fortenberry and Bureau of Narcotics (MBN) Director George Phillips today said that by streamlining state law enforcement operations, drug arrests are up 39% over last year, the highest in three years.

MHP Facing Potential Staffing Crisis (08/03/2004)
The Mississippi Highway Safety Patrol could soon face a staffing crisis due to depletion of the agency's ranks by military activation of its members who are in the National Guard and Reserve.

Sheriff Refutes Press Reports (08/02/2004)
Wilkinson County Sheriff Reginald L. Jackson today countered recent newspaper articles that criticized state law enforcement entities for a lack of support for the Sheriff.

DPS Cold Case Unit Moves from Pilot to Operational Mode (07/26/2004)
Officials from the Mississippi Department of Public Safety announced today the full implementation of a unit to handle unsolved homicide cases.

Drug cases up 50 percent after 3-year decline, MBN reports (07/19/2004)
Mid-year figures for drug cases are up 50 percent over last year?s figures, ending a three-year decline for the same six-month period.

Mississippi Fewer July 4th Highway Deaths (07/07/2004)
The Mississippi Highway Patrol (MHP) realized a 60% reduction in the number of fatalities this past July 4th weekend.

MHP Trooper of the Year Honored (05/20/2004)
The Mississippi State Trooper's Association and the Exchange Club of North Jackson named Trooper Chad Moore as this year's Trooper of the Year.

MHP to Utilize Almost One Half-Million Dollars in Seatbelt Initiative (05/17/2004)
The Mississippi Highway Safety Patrol is using nearly half a million dollars of federal money in an initiative to increase awareness on the importance of seatbelts in preventing injury and saving lives.

Murder Conspiracy Ends in the Arrest of Three (05/07/2004)
A day before he was to appear in divorce court, someone kicked in the door of 38-year-old Bobby Warren's Newton County house and shot him to death.

DPS will honor its fallen officers in a special ceremony (05/07/2004)
The Mississippi Department of Public Safety will honor its fallen officers in a special ceremony.

MBI Agents Arrest Fugitive in Jones County (04/30/2004)
Agents of the Hattiesburg District of the Mississippi Department of Public Safety?s Bureau of Investigation (MBI) arrested a Scott County man who had been a fugitive for a year and a half.

Mississippi Bucks National Traffic Fatality Trend (04/29/2004)
Mississippi's traffic fatality rates showed a decrease while the national figures went up.

Homeland Security Grant Process Begins (04/20/2004)
The Mississippi Department of Public Safety has scheduled a series of briefings for city and county officials to assist those entities in the application process for Homeland Security grants.

Public Safety Commissioner Hires Homeland Security Director (03/30/2004)
The Commissioner of the Mississippi Department of Public Safety (DPS), Rusty Fortenberry, announced today the hiring of Ed Worthington, retiring Special-Agent-in-Charge (SAC) of the Jackson Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), as the Director of the agency?s newly formed Department of Homeland Security.

Joint Operation in Warren County Results in Five Felony Arrests (03/19/2004)
A special enforcement operation between the Mississippi Highway Safety Patrol and the Public Service Commission along a stretch of Interstate 20 in Warren County has resulted in five felony arrests.

Authorities seize $163,000 worth of marijuana (03/12/2004)
A Texas woman has been charged in connection with the seizure of two duffel bags containing 163 pounds of marijuana worth about $163,000 on the street.

Meth Labs seized in Calhoun County (03/12/2004)
On March 9, 2004, Calhoun County Sheriff?s Office along with the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics and North Mississippi Task Force conducted search warrants, which resulted in two methamphetamine labs seized in Bruce, Calhoun County, Mississippi. Terry Leachman and Renea Leachman were arrested for manufacturing methamphetamine.

Arrests span over three counties (03/12/2004)
On March 9, 2004, East MS Drug Task Force (EMDTF) agents in Meridian stopped a vehicle on I-20 and discovered 550 ephedrine tablets. EMDTF Agent Karl Merchant contacted Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics (MBN) Agent Jimmy Nichols to assist in the investigation.

10 drug suspects arrested in state-local investigation (03/09/2004)
Ten drug suspects, primarily from Morton and Forest, were arrested this morning in an undercover investigation by the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, Morton and Forest police departments, ending a two-month investigation.

Drug agents arrest Jefferson County supervisor (02/24/2004)
State and local drug agents have arrested Jefferson County Supervisor Isaac Tenner on prescription drug charges.

Family of Three Missing (outside DPS website) (02/20/2004)
A family of three has been missing since February 14, 2004 from the community of Vaughn in Yazoo County, Mississippi. Michael, Rebecca and James Hargon have been missing as a result of an incident in their rural Mississippi home that has suspicious circumstances associated with their disappearances. If you have any information that could help investigators resolve this matter please contact the Mississippi Department of Public Safety's Bureau of Investigations. Please click on the link highlighted above to go to a Website with more information and photographs of the missing family.

Agents arrest brothers in drug deal (02/12/2004)
The Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, working in conjunction with the East Mississippi Drug Task Force, composed of officers from the Meridian Police Department and Lauderdale County Sheriff's Department, last night arrested two brothers in connection with the seizure of cocaine estimated to be worth about $100,000 on the street.

Assistant Police Chief Arrested (01/23/2004)
Thursday evening (January 22nd), Agents from the Mississippi Highway Patrol's Bureau of Investigations arrested Crenshaw Assistant Police Chief, Ralph Wimberly.

Florida Missing Child (01/20/2004)
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) has asked for the assistance of the Mississippi Highway Safety Patrol in an attempt to locate a missing teenager from Niceville, Florida.

"Honey Bun" Arrest Made; Second Suspect at Large (01/13/2004)
A third suspect has been arrested in the so-called "Honey Bun" robbery of the Grand Casino in Tunica, Mississippi, which occurred September 20, 2003. Linda Stevenson, 22, from Michigan was arrested in Tempe, Arizona Saturday (January 10, 2004).


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