NEW ALBANY, Miss. (WTVA) — Union County Sheriff Jimmy Edwards says most weeks consist of little crime and mostly misdemeanors.
But this week, it's been much different.
"Arrested 14 felons this week already," said Edwards.
Six arrests involve in a meth lab in Macadonia with charges ranging from conspiracy to manufacture meth to felony endangerment of a child.
A seventh is accused of selling cocaine, pills and marijuana.
"And we've arrested two individuals on several accounts of forgery on checks, and I think Pontotoc will also be looking at those two," added the sheriff.
Five others charged with grand larceny.
Law enforcement says the five stole farm equipment from private residences on County Roads 137 and 153.
The sheriff also links them to batteries stolen from county-owned tractors on County Road 230.
So are all these arrests a sign of the overall crime rate going up in Union County?
"We've been working real hard," said Edwards. "Investigators and deputies have been working hard....We're trying to, as the things come in and reported to us, deal with them and capture them as quickly as possible."
He adds a down economy may also be a factor in the recent spike in crime.
Here are the suspects and their charges:
DANNY JOE GREER - conspiracy to manufacture meth and felony child endangerment
BRIAN KEITH FINLEY - possession of precursors and conspiracy to manufacture meth
COURTNEY BETH GRAHAM - conspiracy to manufacture meth
JENNIFER D. FINLEY - conspiracy to manufacture meth
JAMES REGINALD COLBERT - conspiracy to manufacture meth
BRIAN NOLAN SHETTLES - conspiracy to manufacture meth
DREW WILBANKS - grand larceny
NAMON E WHEELINGTON - grand larceny
WILLIAM EARL PAGE JR - grand larceny
NICOLE BITTLES - grand larceny
JACQUELINE WHEELINGTON - grand larceny
AMANDA SAPPINGTON - forgery
VICTOR TREY GOLDEN - contempt of court and forgery
TIMOTHY KEITH YARBROUGH - sale of controlled substance
