Fourteen current and former law enforcement officers and six alleged co-conspirators have been arrested on federal drug-related charges following an extensive FBI sting that spanned multiple counties in the Mississippi Delta, officials announced Thursday.
Among those arrested were Washington County Sheriff Milton Gaston, Humphreys County Sheriff Bruce Williams, and Sunflower County Chief Deputy Marvin Flowers, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
“This corruption permeated all levels, extended across multiple counties and jurisdictions,” said FBI Deputy Director Andrew Bailey. “The Department of Justice and the FBI will not allow wrongdoers to get away with it. We will stop these kinds of disgraceful and shameful abuses of public office and will not tolerate corruption within America’s criminal justice system.”
Federal indictments show the FBI’s undercover operation began in March 2023 and continued through October 2024. Investigators allege that the officers accepted bribes to provide armed escorts for what they believed were drug shipments trafficked through the Mississippi Delta by members of a Mexican drug cartel — in reality, undercover FBI agents.
The officers allegedly provided armed escorts for drug loads on at least three occasions — March 8, 2023; March 20, 2024; and July 16, 2024 — and for the transport of drug proceeds on two others, October 5, 2023, and July 16, 2024.
According to court records, several officers also traveled to Miami to meet with undercover agents. On April 7, 2023, officers Brandon Addison and Javery Howard made the first trip, followed by a return visit in September 2024 with Dexter Franklin, Marcus Nolan, Aasahn Roach, Pierre Lakes, and Derrik Wallace.
“During this meeting, each of the listed defendants affirmatively agreed to participate in the future escort of illegal narcotics through the Mississippi Delta and into Memphis,” the indictment states.
Acting U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner said the investigation began after federal officials received complaints from drug dealers alleging some officers were accepting payments to protect illegal shipments.
“I guess you could characterize it as a sting,” Joyner said. “We did what we did to close the circle.”
Prosecutors allege the following amounts were paid to the defendants in bribe payments:
| Name | Amount Received |
|---|---|
| Brandon Addison | $37,500 |
| Javery Howard | $31,000 |
| Milton Gaston | $20,000 |
| Truron Grayson | $19,500 |
| Bruce Williams | $18,000 |
| Dexter Franklin | $16,500 |
| Sean Williams | $14,000 |
| Wendell Johnson | $12,000 |
| Marcus Nolan | $6,500 |
| Aasahn Roach | $6,500 |
| Torio Chaz Wiseman | $5,000 |
| Jeremy Sallis | $5,000 |
| Derrik Wallace | $1,500 |
| Pierre Lakes | $1,500 |
| Amber Holmes | $1,000 (charges dropped) |
Law enforcement officers charged:
Brandon Addison — Hollandale Police Dept., Humphreys Co. Sheriff’s Office
Javery Howard — Metcalf Police Dept., Hollandale Police
Truron Grayson — Humphreys Co. Sheriff’s Office
Sean Williams — Mississippi Department of Corrections
Dexter Franklin — Washington Co. Sheriff’s Office
Wendell Johnson — Bolivar Co. Sheriff’s Office
Jamario Sanford — Greenwood Police Dept.
Martavis Moore — Greenville Police Dept.
Marquavious Bankhead — Mississippi Highway Patrol
Chaka Gaines — Greenville Police Dept.
Dequarian Smith — Humphreys Co. Sheriff’s Office / Isola Police Dept.
Marcus Nolan — Mississippi Department of Corrections
These are the co-conspirators that were arrested.
Aasahn Roach
Jeremy Sallis
Torio Chaz Wiseman
Pierre Lakes
Derrik Wallace
In a joint statement, Mississippi Department of Public Safety Commissioner Sean Tindell and Mississippi Department of Corrections Commissioner Burl Cain confirmed that officers Moore, Williams, Nolan, and Bankhead have been “suspended or separated from employment.”
“The Mississippi Department of Public Safety and the Mississippi Department of Corrections do not condone, nor will we tolerate, conduct that violates the public’s trust, particularly from those who have taken an oath to protect and serve,” the statement read.
Chief Billy Seal, president of the Mississippi Association of Chiefs of Police and police chief in Long Beach, called the arrests “serious and disappointing.”
“Any abuse of authority is a betrayal of the badge and the trust our communities place in those who serve,” Seal said. “But let one thing be clear: the wrongdoing of a few does not define the many.
“Across Mississippi, thousands of officers put on the uniform each day with honor, courage, and integrity. Their badges should not be tarnished by those who chose a different path. We support swift accountability for anyone who breaks the public trust — and we stand just as firmly with the men and women who continue to serve the right way, for the right reasons.”
