For the past three months, narcotics detectives with the Pearl River County Sheriff’s Department have been investigating a duo from Picayune for allegedly using and distributing illegal narcotics in Pearl River County.
The suspects, 31-year-old Patricia Coulson of 158 Geranium Drive and 31-year-old Nicholas Mitchell of the same address, were arrested on Dec. 15 during a traffic stop. They both were individually charged with two counts of possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute and possession of drug paraphernalia, Sheriff David Allison said.
Detectives worked with officials from the Mississippi Department of Corrections earlier that day to find Mitchell, who was wanted by the MDOC for a probation violation, Allison said.
During the traffic stop conducted at Jackson Landing Road near Highway 11, detectives found Mitchell driving a gold Cadillac registered in his name. When detectives approached the vehicle, they observed Mitchell sitting in the driver’s seat and Coulson in the passenger’s seat. They also observed 34-year-old Stephen Hull, of 81 Parker Hammock Road, in the backseat and a 16-month-old child in a child restraint seat beside Hull, Allison said.
At that time, the vehicle began to overheat. When detectives attempted to pull the hood’s latch, they discovered drugs and paraphernalia inside the vehicle, which prompted them to search the vehicle, Allison said.
Allison said detectives found numerous needles, which can be used to inject narcotics, a tablespoon containing a residue commonly used with narcotics, a small piece of cotton on the floor of the driver’s side and a black container that contained a clear plastic bag of heroin, a red plastic bag containing methamphetamine and aluminum foil used to package methamphetamine, Allison said. Detectives also located a set of digital scales that had a powdery residue on it under the driver’s seat, a needle and a small foil package containing heroin in the backseat, Allison said.
Detectives also recovered hundreds of dollars in cash, Allison said.
Hull was charged with possession of a controlled substance, heroin and possession of drug paraphernalia, Allison said.
The child in the vehicle was taken into custody by officials with the county’s Department of Human Services, Allison said.