A Carriere man has been sentenced to 25 years in prison following a joint investigation by the Pearl River County Sheriff’s Office and the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics.

According to the Sheriff’s Office, Billy Smith, 41, of 103 Cedar Hill Lane, was found guilty of distributing aggravated trafficking amounts of methamphetamine throughout Pearl River County on multiple occasions. An indictment was secured, and Smith was convicted and sentenced on or around April 7.

He will serve his sentence in the Mississippi Department of Corrections’ custody.

Pearl River County Sheriff David Allison praised the outcome of the investigation and the collaboration between agencies.

“I am very pleased with the results and the partnership throughout this investigation,” Allison said. He also thanked the 15th Judicial District Attorney’s Office and the courts for their work on the case.

“Pearl River County is a better place now that a major drug dealer is off the streets and behind bars,” Allison added.