PICAYUNE — In the seemingly quiet community of Mill Creek, three unmarked and one marked Pearl River County Sheriff’s Department vehicles pulled up in the driveway of a suspected drug dealer this week.
A number of law officials jump out of their respective vehicles, all carrying hand guns or assault rifles. The raid ended in a matter of minutes without a hitch, except one. Immediately upon entrance of the law officers the suspect complained of chest pains.
An ambulance arrived on scene a short time later. Minutes later the ambulance left without the patient, who was apparently in good condition.
“The community’s been wanting us to do this for a long time,” Sheriff David Allison said.
For a while the department has been getting complaints about the alleged drug activity at the home, Allison said. Several buys later, which were difficult to set up considering the suspect only sold to a handful of people, and the department had a warrant for her arrest.
Meda Taylor, owner of Loveless Grocery, said the drug activity in the area is high. Suspected activity is estimated to take place from the cross road to Carey Byrd Road, Taylor said.
“I’ll just be glad when they catch them all and clean the neighborhood up,” Taylor said. “I think David Allison is doing an excellent job.”
“He’s giving them a run for their money,” said Mill Creek resident Paul Johnson. “I hope he stays in office for a long time.”
The bust netted Kathleen “Maw” Taylor, 61, of 96 Crestview Dr., said investigator Lt. Donnie Saucier. Since Allison has taken office a number of complaints have been coming into the department about the suspected drug activity in the Mill Creek community.
Their investigation enabled about four purchases of Oxycontin from Kathleen Taylor enabling the arrest warrant, Saucier said. That evidence and other information enabled investigators to also secure a search warrant for the residence.
In that search investigators found a number of prescription bottles in Kathleen Taylor’s and her husband’s name for Oxycontin, Saucier said. The ongoing investigation is looking into how she was obtaining prescriptions for the drug, including her acquaintances and doctors.
Also recovered in the search was several hundred schedule IV narcotic pills used to treat Narcolepsy, which Kathleen Taylor did not have a prescription for, Saucier said. Those pills were found in a plastic container behind some books in a book case.
Two handguns, a rifle and 11 counterfeit bills were also found in the home, Saucier said. A search warrant was also secured in order to scan her computer’s harddrive as part of the ongoing investigation.
Two vehicles worth a total of about $30,000 and about $758 in U.S. currency were seized due to investigators believing they were obtained through the sale of the narcotics.
Kathleen Taylor has been charged with four counts of sale of a controlled substance, possession of a counterfeit instruments (currency), and possession of a schedule IV substance with intent to distribute, Saucier said.
Saucier said according to information provided to him that about 7 million Americans are currently abusing prescription medication. That number is more than the people abusing Heroin, Cocaine, hallucinogens, ecstasy and inhalants combined. Since 2001 there has been an 80 percent increase in the number of people who abuse prescription medication.
Allison thanks the investigators involved in the bust for their hard work and the community for their support. About 150 drug related arrests have taken place in the past six months, he said. He also thanks the county administrator and board of supervisors for their financial support in purchasing the necessary tools to make those arrests happen.
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