POPLARVILLE — In a press release issued April 24, the Poplarville Police Department announced that they, along with the assistance from the Picayune Police Department, Pearl River Co. Sheriff’s Department and the Pearl River Community College Campus Police Department, conducted a narcotics round-up.

Poplarville Police Chief Charlie Fazende said the round-up was the culmination of a five-month-long undercover operation in the city of Poplarville. During the investigation, undercover Poplarville police officers conducted numerous purchases of controlled substances including marijuana, crystal meth and prescription medications.

The press release stated 10 suspects were arrested with a total 16 felony drug charges. As of noon Thursday, a total of nine suspects have been booked into the Pearl River County Correctional Facility.

Fazende said as of Friday afternoon, the last suspect was still at large.

Suspects went before Justice Court Judge Hon. James Hal Breland at 3:30 p.m. Thursday afternoon for an initial appearance and to have their bonds set.

Chief Fazende said the judge set bond for all suspects at $10,000 for each count.

Suspects charged were:

—  Matthew S. Holloway, 19, of 418 S. Haugh, in Picayune, for one count of sale of a controlled substance within 1,500 feet of a school.

—  Javaze K. Bowden, 18, of 10 Moore Rd., in Poplarville, for one count of sale of a controlled substance.

—  Garland R. Burge, 50, of 304 N. Main St., in Poplarville, one count of sale of a controlled substance within 1,500 feet of a school.

—  Da’Quan K. Lewis, 19, of 235 Sycamore St., in Bay St. Louis, for two counts of sale of a controlled substance within 1,500 feet of a school.

—  Terrance A. Forrest, 28, of 336 Travis Jordan Circle, in Poplarville, for two of counts sale of a controlled substance within 1,500 feet of a school.

—  Gage C. Hammond, 19, of 122 Robbins Wilks Rd., in Bassfield, for one count of sale of a controlled substance within 1,500 feet of a school.

—  Connie Fowler, 58, of 500 Hwy. 11 Apt. #4, in Poplarville, for one count of sale of a controlled substance.

—  Kyle Ladner, 19, of 47 54^th St., in Gulfport, for one count of possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell  and one count of sale of a controlled substance within 1,500 feet of a school.

—  Brian J. O’Chery, 23, of 737 Sones Chapel Rd., in Poplarville, for two counts of sale of a controlled substance within 1,500 feet of a school.

“When you get nine out of ten drug dealers off of the street, that is a good roundup,” Fazende said. “Everything went smoothly and there were no incidents.”

He said that his department does great things with an extremely meager budget.

“Our guys work on their days off with no compensation. It is those kinds of people who we want and those are the kind of people who we have,” Fazende said.

Fazende said he knows that when one dealer gets taken off the streets, there are those waiting in the shadows to take their place.

“Let me just send a message to those who think it’s their turn to step up and deal drugs in our city,” he said. “We are coming for you next; we are not going to stop cleaning up our city of predatory dealers.”

Fazende expressed deep appreciation for Picayune Police Chief Bryan Dawsey and Pearl River County Sheriff David Allison for their assistance in the round-up.