Tallahatchie County sheriff arrested on drug, extortion and bribery charges

Published 3:19 pm Friday, August 10, 2018

OXFORD (AP) — Federal officials say they have arrested a Mississippi Delta sheriff and charged him with drug trafficking, extortion and bribery.

U.S. Attorney Chad Lamar said Tallahatchie County Sheriff William Brewer is charged in a criminal complaint with conspiracy to distribute illegal drugs, as well as extortion and bribery.

It’s unclear if Brewer has a lawyer to speak on his behalf. The court documents charging him were not immediately available Friday.

Subscribe to our free email newsletter

Get the latest news sent to your inbox

Lamar says Brewer remains jailed after a Friday court appearance. He’s scheduled for further court hearings on Monday.

If convicted, Brewer faces up to 20 years in prison on each count, along with fines ranging from $250,000 to $1 million per count.