By Jeremy Pittari, Item Staff Writer
The Picayune Item
PICAYUNE —
A community complaint and a traffic check led to the arrest of suspects on drug-related charges. Pearl River County Sheriff’s Department narcotics investigators investigating a community complaint that drugs were being sold out of the home at 7 Rolling Oaks Dr. led to the arrest of six people at the home, said Chief Investigator Donnie Saucier.
Through surveillance and investigative techniques the narcotics detectives were able to obtain enough evidence to get a search warrant, which was served on Dec. 7, Saucier said.
In that search the investigators found about five grams of methamphetamine, along with some drug paraphernalia, leading to the arrest of six people who were at the home during the search. Saucier said the suspects included three people who lived at the home, 37-year-old Rickie Hutcherson, 34-year-old Jessica Billiot Hutcherson and 40-year-old Melissa Sanders. The chief investigator said the three other people at the home during the search were 35-year-old Wesley Barnes of 14 Shirley Wise Rd., Carriere; 30-year-old James Spiers of 56 Running Stream Rd., Carriere, and 32-year-old James Powell of 146 Sun Valley Acre Rd., Poplarville.
Saucier said the three residents of the home, Rickie and Jessica Hutcherson and Melissa Sanders, were charged with possession of a controlled substance and possession of paraphernalia, while Spiers, Powell and Barnes were charged with possession of paraphernalia.
In a separate case on Dec. 13, Detective Daniel Quave was patrolling the county when he noticed a vehicle stopped on the side of the road, the chief investigator said. Saucier said the detective stopped to check on the vehicle to see if the driver needed assistance, and came into contact with 21-year-old Gino Joseph Landry of 11011 Cody Lane.
While talking with Landry, Saucier said the detective noticed his actions were peculiar, prompting Quave to pat Landry down. Saucier said during the pat down Quave found a small amount of marijuana in Landry’s pocket and a pistol holster on his waistband. A search of the vehicle uncovered a .40 caliber Glock pistol on the passenger seat that an NCIC check showed had been stolen out of St. Bernard Parish, La., Saucier said.
Recovery of the pistol was shared with deputies at the St. Bernard Parish Sheriff’s Department who are investigating about 30 vehicle burglaries, one of which resulted in the theft of the handgun recovered in Landry’s possession, the chief investigator said. Saucier said the Pearl River County Sheriff’s Department is now assisting the St. Bernard Parish Sheriff’s Department in the investigation into the vehicle burglaries.
Landry was charged with possession of marijuana and possession of a stolen firearm.
