County seeks stiffer charges for drug dealers

Metro Narcotics Captain Keith Davis said Oxonians are tired of drug dealers selling near schools and churches.

“The community is tired of it, and law enforcement is tired of it,” Davis said. 

“We are going to prosecute these sort of crimes to their fullest extent.”

While enhancement charges are not anything new, Davis said the district attorney’s office wants to put the enhancements on the front end.

“In the past, we would just recommend they be charged with sale of whatever substance,” Davis said.

“And the enhancements would come up as leverage when making an offer.”

Enhancement charges enable judges to double a fine or jail time of someone convicted of the crime, and it becomes a felony charge.

If a dealer sold less than one ounce of marijuana in a school or church zone, which is 1500 feet from the structures, the dealer can be fined up to $6,000 and faces up to six years in jail.

Selling drugs with a minor present is considered contributing to the delinquency of a minor, and also doubles any penalty.

“This is not something new we are doing,” Davis said. “This is just a technique.”

The technique starts with the officer, who reports the information on the suspect and presents it to the district attorney. 

The DA then prepares an indictment, which goes to the grand jury. 

The grand jury decides if the crime was committed, and whether it should go to circuit court, of if it is bound back to justice court.

The Daily Mississippian could not reach District Attorney Benjamin Creekmore for comment Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday.