20 Indicted in Delta FBI Drug Sting Enter Not-Guilty Pleas

Special to The Leland Progress | Nov. 11, 2025

Twenty individuals — including two Mississippi sheriffs and more than a dozen current or former law-enforcement officers — have pleaded not guilty in federal court following an FBI sting that uncovered a sprawling drug-trafficking and bribery conspiracy across the Mississippi Delta and into Tennessee.

According to court documents and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Mississippi, the defendants are accused of accepting bribes totaling between $1,500 and $37,500 from undercover FBI agents posing as members of a Mexican drug cartel. In return, the officers allegedly provided armed escorts and protection for what they believed were shipments of cocaine and drug proceeds moving through the Delta toward Memphis.

Among those charged is Washington County Sheriff Milton Gaston, accused of taking cash payments disguised as campaign contributions and granting his “blessing” for the operations within his jurisdiction. Gaston entered a not-guilty plea and remains free under bond. The indictment also names Humphreys County Sheriff Bruce Williams, who has taken an unpaid leave of absence while awaiting trial.

Federal prosecutors said the FBI’s Jackson Field Office developed a confidential informant in 2023 who helped arrange multiple undercover meetings, including one in Miami, where agents portrayed cartel members seeking law-enforcement protection. The defendants allegedly escorted at least three drug-transport runs since 2023, carrying roughly 25 kilograms of cocaine through the Delta along U.S. Highway 61 and into Memphis.

Nineteen of the 20 defendants also face firearms-related charges tied to the trafficking operation. The coordinated arrests took place Oct. 30 across the Northern District of Mississippi and Shelby County, Tennessee.

At a press conference in Oxford Oct 30, federal officials confirmed that some of the individuals later implicated in the Leland mass-shooting investigation were already under observation as part of the broader FBI probe. Investigators said several witnesses interviewed after the shooting told agents they were hesitant to report threats or share information because they “no longer trusted some police,” citing rumors that certain officers were being paid by outside groups. Officials said those community statements ultimately helped federal agents connect leads that contributed to the arrests.

Federal prosecutors emphasized that no members of the Leland Police Department were implicated or indicted. Officials commended the department’s cooperation, describing it as small, professional, and welcoming to FBI and ATF support during the investigation.

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Partial list of indicted individuals

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office and public records:

• Milton Gaston — Washington County Sheriff

• Bruce Williams — Humphreys County Sheriff

• Marvin Flowers — Chief Deputy, Sunflower County Sheriff’s Office

• Brandon Addison — Former Hollandale Police Department and Humphreys County Sheriff’s Office

• Javery Howard — Metcalf and Hollandale Police Departments

• Truron Grayson — Humphreys County Sheriff’s Office

• Sean Williams — Yazoo City Police Department and Mississippi Department of Corrections

• Dexture Franklin — Washington County Sheriff’s Office

• Wendell Johnson — Bolivar County Sheriff’s Office

• Marcus Nolan — Formerly Mississippi Department of Corrections

• Aasahn Roach — Co-conspirator; on administrative leave from Memphis/Shelby County Schools

• Jeremy Sallis — Agency not identified in public records

• Torio Chaz Wiseman — Agency not identified in public records

• Pierre Lakes — Agency not identified in public records

• Derrik Wallace — Agency not identified in public records

• Martavis Moore — Greenville Police Department

• Marquavious Bankhead — Former Mississippi Highway Patrol

• Chaka Gaines — Greenville Police Department

• Jamario Sanford — Greenwood Police Department

• Dequarian Smith — Humphreys County Sheriff’s Office and Isola Police Department

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Agency actions taken to date

• The Mississippi Department of Corrections confirmed that Sean Williams was terminated.

• The Sunflower County Sheriff’s Office announced the resignation of Chief Deputy Marvin Flowers following his arrest.

• The Humphreys County Board of Supervisors accepted Sheriff Bruce Williams’ request for unpaid leave.

• The Washington County Board of Supervisors suspended Sheriff Milton Gaston’s law-enforcement authority pending the outcome of the case.

U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner called the case “a monumental betrayal of public trust,” and FBI Special Agent in Charge Robert Eikhoff said the investigation demonstrates the bureau’s commitment to rooting out corruption at every level. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert J. Mims is leading the prosecution.

All defendants entered not-guilty pleas on Nov. 10, 2025, in federal court and remain under supervision pending trial. All remain presumed innocent until proven guilty.