The investigation into the death of a Mississippi teen burned alive in 2014 has resulted in the arrests of 17 people as officials uncovered other crimes in the course of their probe.
Jessica Chambers, 19, was found on a road in Courtland, Mississippi, on Dec. 6, 2014, and authorities said she had been soaked in gasoline and then burned alive. She died a few hours
later at a nearby hospital, The Clarion-Ledger reported.
The 17 people arrested, none of whom have been charged with Chambers' murder, were targeted in a Federal Bureau of Investigation sting called "Operation Bite Back," using information uncovered in the course of the Chambers investigation, according to the newspaper.
Initially focused on finding Chambers' killer, authorities interviewed more than 100 people and gathered more than 20,000 phone records, which eventually led to the spate of arrests Tuesday, Panola County Sheriff Dennis Darby told The Ledger.
The indictments include a range of crimes, from child endangerment to narcotics sales to possession of counterfeit currency.
"FBI agents targeted suspected members of the Black Gangster Disciples, Vice Lords, and Sipp Mob street gangs after gathering intelligence on their suspected criminal activity from local law enforcement and community members weary of the violence in their neighborhoods," The Ledger wrote.
According to the Ledger, the following charges have been filed:
- Lyndon Mosely Jr., 24, distribution of crack cocaine
- Edward House, 39, distribution of powder cocaine and distribution of crack cocaine
- Joshua Cannon, 25, cocaine possession
- Anand Vijay Shegog, 39, sale of a controlled substance
- Mondarious Armstead, 23, public drunk; receiving stolen property; possession, sale, transfer of stole firearm
- Gregory B. Andrews, 22, distribution of powder cocaine (x2)
- D’lirian Case, 18, attempt to pass counterfeit and passing counterfeit
- Janicholas Vankeith Scott, 34, sale of cocaine
- James Mosely Jr., 26, robbery, sale of cocaine, presenting false cocaine in state
- George Todd, 23, attempt to pass counterfeit
- Dedrick Ivery, 39, possession of controlled substance; child abuse; firearm enhancement; felon in possession of firearm in proximity to school/church
- Antonio Johnson, 28, possession controlled substance with intent
- Xavier Hooks, 25, possession gun by felon; possession of a stolen gun
- Kevin Windfield, 37, sale of controlled substance
- Elgin Lamar, 38, possession of controlled substance (x2); possession of controlled substance with intent, child endangerment (x2)
- Deon Smith, 20, passing counterfeit
- Stanley Coleman, 40, sale of cocaine (x4)
"It's taken eight or nine months, if not a little longer, to get to this point," District Attorney John Champion told the newspaper. "And this is not over by any stretch of the imagination."
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