A Mississippi grandmother was among three individuals charged with trafficking cocaine to northern Alabama. Authorities reported Friday that her unrestrained 2-year-old grandchild was in the vehicle during the operation.
The Franklin County Sheriff’s Office stated that the Lawrence County Drug Task Force initiated a multi-jurisdictional investigation on Wednesday.
The operation targeted the delivery of one pound of cocaine from West Point, Mississippi, to Red Bay, Alabama.
Arrest Details
The main suspect, Darius Jones, a resident of West Point, Mississippi, was taken into custody when the vehicle reached Red Bay. Also arrested were James Smith, another West Point resident, and Stephanie Wofford, the grandmother from Houston, Mississippi.
Smith was carrying a loaded firearm at the time of his arrest, according to authorities. Meanwhile, Wofford’s 2-year-old grandchild was in the vehicle but was not secured in a child safety seat.
The Department of Human Resources was notified to address the situation involving the child, and all adults in the vehicle were taken into custody.
Drug and Weapon Discovery
A K-9 unit was deployed to search the vehicle, detecting the presence of narcotics. Inside the trunk, law enforcement officers discovered a plastic bag containing approximately one pound of cocaine.
All three suspects were charged with drug trafficking and chemical endangerment of a child. Additional charges included:
- Darius Jones: Giving a false name or identification to law enforcement.
- James Smith: Possession of an altered firearm (altered serial number), possession of Buprenorphine sublingual strips (controlled substance), possession of a controlled substance in a mislabeled medicine bottle, and being a person forbidden to possess a firearm.
Bonds and Recognition
Jones and Wofford were each given $100,000 cash bonds. Smith’s bond details were not specified.
Franklin County Sheriff’s Office praised the collaboration between various agencies for ensuring the operation was conducted safely and successfully.
The participating agencies included:
- Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office
- Lawrence County Drug Task Force
- Franklin County Sheriff’s Office
- U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)
- FBI Safe Streets Task Force
- Russellville Police Department
- Red Bay Police Department
- Itawamba County Sheriff’s Office (Mississippi)
“All agencies involved deserve recognition for the work that was done to ensure that the operation was carried out safely and successfully,” the sheriff’s office stated.
Leave a Comment