Undercover operations by state narcotics agents ended in Gloster Wednesday when the target of their investigation walked into the Amite County jail and turned himself in to authorities.
Agents with the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics arrested James L. Hall, 53, on charges of possession of cocaine and possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, Agent Billy Ray Warner said.
For several weeks, the bureau methodically built a case on Hall, using undercover agents to purchase drugs from him, Warner said.
After several undercover purchases, Warner said agents acquired enough evidence to obtain a warrant to search Hall’s residence at 2736 Antioch Perkins Road in Gloster.
Warner said agents executed that search on July 12 and discovered marijuana, cocaine and several guns inside Hall’s residence.
Hall was not home at the time of the raid, but when word got out that agents were tracking him, he walked into the Amite County Sheriff’s Office five days later and surrendered to deputies.
“He just came to the jail,” Warner said. “He heard about the search and he knew we were looking for him, so he just turned himself in.”
While the narcotics bureau handled the drug charges, the Amite County Sheriff’s Office booked the 53-year-old on an additional charge of possession of a weapon by a convicted felon, Sheriff Tim Wroten said.
Warner said Hall gave no statements when questioned by agents and deputies.
Hall is being held at the Amite County jail with no bond.
