Three defendants were sentenced to 10 or more years in prison in Prentiss County Circuit Court after pleading guilty to separate drug charges, according to court documents.
Circuit Court Judge Michael P. Mills Jr. sentenced William Kelly Rhodes and Vanessa Gracia to ten years in prison for heroin trafficking. The sentences will be served day by day, with no option for parole or early release. Both suspects will also face five years of post-release monitoring, according to court records.
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The convictions were the result of a search warrant conducted at a home on County Road 1361 in Rienzi. Law enforcement authorities seized over 1,500 grams of heroin, as well as minor amounts of methamphetamine, marijuana, and psilocybin. The Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics spearheaded the investigation, which included deputies from the Prentiss and Tishomingo County Sheriff’s departments.
On January 13, Antonio Vasser pled guilty to felon in possession of a weapon and selling methamphetamine. Judge Mills sentenced him to 15 years in jail and five years of post-release supervision. The Prentiss County Sheriff’s Department, in collaboration with the Mississippi Highway Patrol and the Monroe County Sheriff’s Department, conducted separate investigations that led to his convictions. Both agencies are part of the North Mississippi Narcotics Unit.
The cases were handled by Assistant District Attorneys Kyle Robbins and Megan French, according to the district attorney’s office. Jason D. Herring is the district attorney for the First Circuit Court District, which includes portions of northern Mississippi.
