A deputy jailer and four others have been charged as a result of an ongoing investigation into drugs and other illegal contraband being brought into the Webster County Jail.
According to Providence Police, Officer Eric Elder lead a surveillance operation at the Webster County Jail around 7:00 Sunday night with Chief Todd Jones and Sergeant Carl Scheer. Police reportedly observed a vehicle being driven by 22-year old Aaron Lovell of Sturgis with two passengers identified as 68-year old William Dennis Barnaby of Henderson, and 30-year old Maggie Ann Miller of Morganfield. Police say the vehicle was then observed driving beside a Webster County deputy jailer’s vehicle, where Miller got out of the vehicle and appeared to attempt to place a McDonald’s bag inside the deputy jailer’s vehicle. Shortly after the vehicle left, officers reportedly observed Webster County Deputy Jailer, 57-year old Jacqueline Puckett McMillen, exit the jail and go to her vehicle. At this time, police say Sergeant Scheer approached Puckett while Officer Elder and Chief Jones conducted a traffic stop of the vehicle. Inside the vehicle, police reportedly found methamphetamine, e-cigarettes, a meth pipe, and a bag of McDonald’s food.
During interviews, police said it was revealed the three individuals were supposed to place the McDonald’s bag inside the vehicle. Officers reported that they found e-cigarettes with meth inside concealed in the bag of food. Once the contraband was placed in the deputy jailer’s vehicle, Deputy Jailer McMillen was allegedly going to retrieve the items to bring them into the jail and then transfer them to inmates Adam Joel Gray and Derrick Robert Dempsey.
Deputy Jailer McMillin and Barnaby were taken into custody and charged with first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance (methamphetamine) – complicity, and first-degree promoting contraband – complicity. McMillin was also charged with engaging in organized crime – facilitation and Barnaby was charged with engaging in organized crime.
Lovell, Miller and inmates Gray and Dempsey were all charged with first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance – methamphetamine, first-degree promoting contraband, and engaging in organized crime. Lovell was additionally charged with operating on a suspended or revoked operator’s license.
Providence Police say this is an ongoing joint investigation with the Webster County Jail that initially resulted in three arrests on February 1st when officers discovered that one of the same inmates, Derrick Dempsey, had organized and participated in the introduction of illegal contraband into the Webster County Jail. Police note this resulted in the arrest of a City of Sebree employee as well as another inmate.
