CARTHAGE, Miss. (Queen City Newsfeed) A Leake County drug bust on Tuesday turned up more than a pound of fentanyl and a live hand grenade. Deputies also found more than a pound of meth and 35 guns, the Leake County Sheriff’s Office said.
Deputies and investigators worked with agents from the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, or MBN. They served a search warrant at a home on Gomillion Road on Tuesday, Oct. 20.
Jason McKee was arrested at the home. The sheriff’s office has not yet listed his charges.
Months of work led to the warrants
The sheriff’s office said the case took several months to build. After that work, a felony arrest warrant was issued for McKee. A search warrant for his home was also issued.
When deputies arrived, they detained a woman at the home right away. The sheriff’s office named her only as Mrs. McKee. It has not said whether she faces any charges.
However, the sheriff’s office said Jason McKee did not come out right away. Deputies gave him orders for about 20 minutes before he gave up. Deputies believe he used that time to flush drugs down the toilet.
What deputies say they found
After the arrest, deputies and MBN agents searched the home. They found about 527 grams of meth and about 512 grams of fentanyl, the sheriff’s office said. That is a little more than a pound of each drug.
The sheriff’s office said that much fentanyl could kill everyone in Leake County 12 times over. The DEA says just 2 milligrams of fentanyl can be a deadly dose. That is about the amount that fits on the tip of a pencil.
Agents also found about 35 guns. Most of them were within McKee’s reach before his arrest, the sheriff’s office said.
Sheriff Randy W. Atkinson said the situation could have gone badly. Instead, he said, the large number of officers on scene made McKee think twice.
Explosives bring in federal agents
Along with the guns, agents found an unlit Molotov cocktail and a live hand grenade. A Molotov cocktail is a homemade fire bomb. It is usually a bottle filled with fuel.
Because of the explosives, the sheriff’s office called the ATF. That is the federal agency that handles guns and explosives. The sheriff’s office said the ATF could bring federal charges against McKee.
Deputies also found a bulletproof vest. Someone had painted the letters DEA on it, the sheriff’s office said.
Evidence in the bathroom
Deputies said they saw pieces of meth on the toilet and in the shower. Plastic bags were also on the bathroom floor.
So officers found where the toilet drains and tested the water. The sheriff’s office said the water tested positive for meth right away. Then deputies searched the drain line from the toilet. They were looking for any bags that had not been opened.
Sheriff praises deputies
Atkinson said he was very pleased with the deputies and investigators who took on the dangerous job. He said their work helped keep Leake County safe.
Everyone accused of a crime is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
How you can help
Do you know about drug activity in your area? You can call the Leake County Sheriff’s Office at 601-267-7361. You can also call the MBN tip line at 1-800-844-6272.
Is someone you love struggling with drug use? Help is available. The SAMHSA National Helpline is free and private. Call 1-800-662-4357 any time, day or night. You can also text your ZIP code to 435748 to find help near you.
