OXFORD, Mississippi — A judge sentenced a Tupelo resident to more than 21 years (262 months) in prison on Tuesday, according to the Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Mississippi.
Thirty-two-year-old Samuel Wilson III was convicted on charges of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and marijuana as well as possession of firearms by a conflicted felon.
Wilson's trial began in December 2021, and he was one of several defendants put on the stand for their roles within one specific drug trafficking organization. Now the attorney's office said Wilson was the ninth person convicted of conspiring with members of a group led by a man named Jeremy Mairidith.
“I commend our local, state and federal partners who worked on this investigation for years to see that the individuals involved in the violent and illegal activities of this drug trafficking organization were finally brought to justice,” U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner said in a statement after the sentencing.
“ATF is committed to the disruption of violent gun crime,” ATF (Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms) Special Agent in Charge Kurt Thielhorn said. “As with this joint effort, we will continue to focus on violent offenders who possess a firearm in conjunction with narcotics Violations. Reducing firearm related crimes and keeping our communities safe is the top priority for ATF.”
Wilson was in possession of two firearms, according to the press release.
Several agencies took part in the investigation, including the Tupelo Police Department, Lee County Sheriff’s Office, Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, North Mississippi Narcotics Unit, DEA, Corinth Police Department, Alcorn County Sheriff’s Office, Mississippi Highway Patrol, United States Postal Inspection Service, Mississippi Department of Corrections and the United States Marshals Service.
