When an offender is arrested, they are taken to the Pearl River County Detention Facility for booking and official photo/fingerprint collection. Their booking record contains other pertinent details such as their address, physical description, and criminal history.
Pearl River County was formed from parts of Hancock and Marion Counties in 1890, but today boasts many businesses and industries that call Pearl River home.
Anna Dillard
Pearl River County offers plenty of activities and entertainment, from blueberry picking at Wolf River Farm in Poplarville and exploring Shaw House to exploring museums such as the Pearl River Museum and Pearl River Historical Society.
Anna Dillard is the wife of former reality TV star Jim Bob Duggar and mother to their six children: Mackynzie (11), Michael (9), Meredith (5), Mason (3), and 17-month-old Maryella (17 months). During a traffic stop on Friday morning, police discovered fentanyl hidden within her vehicle, leading them to charge Anna with possession with intent to distribute as well as obstruction tag charges.
On November 20, deputies stopped a tan Toyota Avalon on Sam Smith Rd in Picayune, MS, and found that its driver, Donald Ray Loper (59), attempted to conceal evidence by throwing a pipe used for smoking methamphetamine out his window and was charged with Tampering with Evidence.
As part of their routine patrol at Highway 11 and Jackson Landing Rd in Picayune, Mississippi, deputies encountered Chantel Mejia (31). A Terry pat-down was conducted, and she was found with both methamphetamine pipe as well as controlled substances in her possession.
William Stockstill
Pearl River County in Mississippi is home to an expanding aerospace industry. The Stennis Space Center conducts testing and research related to space exploration; many residents work at this facility. Furthermore, Pearl River County boasts an enthralling Native American history, once home to multiple tribes, that can still be found today.
The county has an extensive military and criminal justice history. During the American Civil War, it saw numerous skirmishes between Union and Confederate troops; by the late 1800s, it had become an essential producer of lumber, with many sawmills being established in its vicinity.
Colton Delaughter and William Stockstill were arrested for kidnapping and carjacking two tourists on the Coast in February. It’s reported that Colton Delaughter forced the victims into their vehicle as they unloaded luggage at a parking garage in Biloxi before driving them onward to Bay St. Louis and Pass Christian, forcing them to withdraw money from ATMs before moving the victims back out again.
Both men were members of the Simon City Royals gang and were frequenting a bar on Beach Boulevard. Each has been sentenced to 25 years without early release and must provide child support and medical insurance for Madison as required by court orders.
Craig Oneal Jones
Pearl River County offers a lower crime rate than the national average and is generally safe. Unfortunately, burglary and motor vehicle theft still occur on occasion and may lead to arrest. To keep residents safe in Pearl River County, local law enforcement agencies work together on conducting regular drug sweeps that include roadblocks and consensual searches of homes and vehicles as part of these raids; officers often seize drugs and firearms from suspected criminals during these sweeps and also apprehend those on the run from law enforcement.
Arrested individuals will typically be taken to their local police department or sheriff’s office for booking, which involves having their photo (mugshot) and fingerprints taken before answering a variety of questions regarding their personal history and current state. Also, warrants will be checked against them in Pearl River County as well as other Mississippi or United States jurisdictions.
Dustin Gray was recently sentenced to life without the possibility of parole for killing Pearl River County deputy Willie Jones earlier this year and was found guilty by jury trial of capital murder charges earlier this year. Austin Brookshire also pled guilty last month in relation to their involvement in Jones’ robbery and killing.
Joshua Jones
Joshua Jones, 33, surrendered himself to police Wednesday and was charged with killing an acquaintance who was shot Saturday evening on Chestnut Street. Jones will be brought before an arraignment hearing next week.
Two years ago, a man responsible for killing a public safety officer pleaded guilty but was mentally ill to the crime. A judge has ordered that Jones spend the rest of his life behind bars without parole, pay restitution to Master Cpl Sandy Rogers’ family, serve three additional years probation, as well as remain locked up until treatment has taken place.
Poplarville is the county seat and derives its name from Pearl River, which forms its western boundary and divides it from Louisiana. Poplarville hosts one of the nation’s premier industrial parks as well as one of its leading medical facilities and retirement communities – an impressive accomplishment in itself!
Alongside its primary industries, the area boasts numerous historic sites and museums. Additionally, its county has an active agricultural industry, which has caused rapid population growth since 2000; many residents moved here from both Mississippi Gulf Coast cities as well as New Orleans looking for safe homes within close commuting distance of these major urban hubs.
