HERNANDO, Miss — Hernando Police said a Pennsylvania man who traveled to north Mississippi to meet a 13-year-old girl for sex accidentally shot himself in a struggle with officers.
According to a news release from Hernando Police, 28-year-old Samuel James Hugg from Mars, Pennsylvania, had been having sexually explicit conversations through his travels with a 13-year-old girl, and wanted to meet the girl “for sexual purposes.” Investigators said they had been in contact with Hugg for several days about the trip to north Mississippi.
Just after 8:30 a.m. Tuesday, December 21, 2021, police said they conducted a traffic stop and tried to arrest Hugg in Hernando. They said Hugg and the officers struggled, and Hugg pulled out a gun from his side and fired one round, hitting himself across the chest.
Police said officers eventually gained control and took Hugg into custody. He was treated at a hospital for non-life-threatening injuries.
Hugg faces several charges including enticement of a child to meet for sexual purposes, possession of child pornography, disorderly conduct-failure to comply, resisting arrest, and attempted aggravated assault.
Hugg was taken to the DeSoto County Jail.
