Another arrest in attempt to smuggle drugs into state prisons

A Mississippi man is in the Elmore County Jail a month after an attempt to smuggle drugs into state prisons.

Jamarkus Hood, 21, of Columbus, Mississippi, was arrested this week nearly a month after three others were arrested near the state prisons in Elmore County. Hood faces the same charges Cameron Tyrek Ledbetter, 21; Courtney Termain Lowe, 34; and Antonio Marcus Terry, 24. They all face four counts of drug trafficking. 

In September, a caller alerted law enforcement of a car parked in a roadway with lights off.

“The caller stated the vehicle and offenders were in possession of drugs and were about to make a drop at the prison,” court documents state.

Elmore County deputy sheriffs approached a 2023 Dodge Challenger with Mississippi license plates on Clay Lane just off Highway 14 and south of Elmore and Staton correctional facilities. Two suspects took off running with two black backpacks. The deputies also found a strong odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle and three more suspects in the car. 

“They voluntarily handed over a small clear baggie of suspected marijuana,” the documents state. “[The occupants of the vehicle] were asked to step out of the vehicle.”

A subsequent search of the vehicle found two clear bags with ecstasy and a black backpack.

Law enforcement found 198.4 grams of ecstasy, three pounds of marijuana, 113.39 grams of meth and 56 grams of spice.

They also found nine cell phones, six lighters, four headphones and scales.

Elmore County Sheriff Bill Franklin said the prepaid cell phones were packaged in Pringles cans with chargers to attempt to smuggle them into the nearby state prisons.

Hood is also facing an attempt to elude charge. He ran when deputies first approached the car.

“He was in the vehicle,” Elmore County Sheriff’s Office Capt. Ric Brouillard said. “We were able to obtain warrants for the same crimes as the other guys. With him being in Mississippi it took a little bit to coordinate and get him picked up.”

There is still one suspect who fled in September but Brouillard said investigators haven’t given up.

“We are still working on that,” he said. “It is still an ongoing investigation.”

Ledbetter and Terry are being held on a $6 million bond. Lowe posted a $40,000 bond.

Hood is being held in the Elmore County jail on a $6,006,000 bond.