Jackson Jambalaya

The former Sheriff of Tallahatchie County will now get a chance to experience the criminal justice system from the other side of the bars.  U.S. District Judge Mike Mills sentenced William Brewer to serve six years in prison after he pleaded guilty to one count of extorting a bribe in November.  The FBI caught Brewer running a protection racket for a drug dealer as Sheriff.

An agent's affidavit (p.23)  attached to the criminal complaint provides more details of this sordid affair:

5. CHS also reported that approximately two to three years ago, BREWER found out CHS was dealing methamphetamine that CHS had purchased from illegal drug suppliers (rather than stealing from drug dealers as CHS had conspired with BREWER to do for the previous 12 years before this). For the last two to three years, CHS paid BREWER $500.00 to $600.00 every other week from the proceeds of CHS's illegal drug dealing.

6. BREWER is fully aware of CHS's crimes and illegal drug activity which consists of, but is not limited to, the illegal distribution of methamphetamine. BREWER protected, conspired, and allowed CHS to conduct illegal activity in Tallahatchie County for approximately the last 15 years. In exchange for BREWER's protection and freedom to conduct illegal activity in Tallahatchie County, CHS provided monetary proceeds to BREWER from all of CHS's illegal activity. On more than one occasion, BREWER warned CHS to proceed with caution while conducting illegal activity due to the presence of local, state, and/or federal law enforcement.

7. FBI agents approached the CHS on June 12, 2018, and CHS agreed to work for the FBI.

8. From June 13, 2018 through approximately June, 20, 2018, CHS and BREWER planned and agreed together, in person and through recorded telephone calls, to rob a drug dealer in Tallahatchie County, for approximately nine to ten bricks of methamphetamine. A brick of methamphetamine is equivalent to a kilogram. A kilogram is equal to 35 ounces or 1,000 grams. BREWER did not know that the CHS was working with the FBI at this time and that the theft from the drug dealer was a ruse. Under the direction of the FBI, CHS paid BREWER a total of $10,000.00. BREWER accepted three payments from CHS on June 21, 2018, July 5, 2018, and July 26, 2018. BREWER believed CHS had robbed a drug dealer in Tallahatchie County just like they had planned and executed in the past, approximately 50 times. [Attachment A - complete list of serial numbers for $10,000.00 paid to BREWER] The initial payment represented the money supposedly stolen by CHS from the drug dealer and the last two payments represented a portion of the proceeds from the supposed sale of the stolen bricks of methamphetamine.

9. On June 20, 2018, at the direction of the FBI, CHS made a recorded telephone call to BREWER. CHS told BREWER that CHS had robbed a drug dealer. CHS wanted to meet with BREWER, but BREWER had people with him and was unavailable to meet. BREWER told CHS to contact him the next day.

10. On June 21, 2018, CHS traveled to BREWER's residence to pay BREWER $6,500.00 dollars, which BREWER believed was the money CHS had stolen from the drug dealer. The $6,500.00 was concealed in a cellular telephone box that can be described as green in color and is the average size box that a cellular telephone would be packaged in when purchased. The cellular telephone box has writing on it for a Straight Talk Wireless, LG REBEL 3 LTE, five inch screen, Android 7.0, 16 GB internal memory. When the cellular telephone box is opened, a unique barcode sticker with the numbers 616960226352 are visible. [Attachment B- photographs of the cellular telephone box, photographs of the $6,500.00 paid to BREWER, and serial numbers for the $6,500.00] During a recorded conversation, while CHS was at BREWER's residence, CHS told BREWER that CHS had robbed a drug dealer and made it known that CHS had recovered ten kilograms of methamphetamine and money. CHS handed BREWER the cellular telephone box with $6,500.00 and told BREWER to examine it. BREWER examined it, then handed the cellular telephone box with the money back to CHS, and told CHS to put it under a bucket in the barn located directly southeast from BREWER's residence across HWY 32. CHS followed BREWER's instructions and placed the money in a bucket in the barn and departed the location. BREWER's residence at 7533 HWY 32 East, Oakland, MS 38948 can be described as a one story farm style house, red brick, black shingled roof, and white pillars on the front and side of the house. BREWER's barn, directly southeast from his residence and across HWY 32, can be described as a large steel framed shed with tin covering three sides. [Attachment C- aerial photograph of BREWER's residence and barn, photographs of BREWER's residence, and photographs of BREWER's barn.]

11. On June 21, 2018, shortly after CHS departed from BREWER's barn, there was a recorded telephone call between CHS and BREWER. BREWER asked CHS where CHS put "that shit" (referring to the money in the barn). CHS described to BREWER where CHS had put the money. BREWER told CHS that BREWER had it and ended the telephone call.

12. On July 5, 2018, CHS traveled to BREWER's residence to pay BREWER $1,000.00, which BREWER believed were the proceeds from CHS's sale of the stolen methamphetamine. During a recorded conversation, while CHS was on BREWER's property, BREWER instructed CHS to put the money in the same place CHS had on June 21, 2018. CHS told BREWER that CHS had a couple more bricks of methamphetamine left to sell. BREWER warned CHS to be careful who CHS was dealing with during CHS's illegal activity. CHS then followed BREWER's instructions and placed the money in a bucket in the barn and departed the location. [Attachment D-photograph of the $1,000.00 paid to BREWER, and serial numbers for the $1,000.00]

13. On July 26, 2018, CHS traveled to BREWER's residence to pay BREWER $2,500.00, which BREWER believed were the proceeds from CHS's sale of the stolen methamphetamine. During a recorded conversation, while CHS was at BREWER's residence, CHS told BREWER that CHS had sold all of the bricks of methamphetamine CHS had stolen and had nothing left. BREWER encouraged CHS to continue selling methamphetamine. BREWER warned CHS to be careful who CHS was dealing with during CHS's illegal activity. BREWER instructed CHS to put the money in the same place CHS had on June 21, 2018 and July 5, 2018. CHS then followed BREWER's instructions and placed the money in a bucket in the barn and departed the location. [Attachment E-photographs of the $2,500.00 paid to BREWER, and serial numbers for the $2,500.00]

Federal marshals arrested Brewer in August 2018.  A federal grand jury indicted him on five counts of extorting a bribe and one count of conspiracy to possess narcotics with the intent to distribute.