Two men were found with drugs and money in their possession after officers raided a pool hall open after the citywide curfew.
The Yazoo City Police Department issued 25 citations in relation to violations of the city-imposed COVID-19 restrictions during the month of April. These two latest drug arrests begin the department's proactive approach to COVID-19 violations for the month of May.
Cleotice Barton was charged with possession of cocaine and marijuana, along with having a large sum of money. Eon Williams was also charged with possession of 2.7 ounces of marijuana with intent to distribute and was also found with a firearm and large sum of money.
Capt. William Nevels, of the Yazoo City Police Department, said the two suspects were arrested at a pool hall located near Broadway and Mound Street, well after the city-wide curfew.
"Officers found several individuals occupying the business after the city curfew," Nevels said. "Within that group of individuals, these two suspects were charged with drug possession."
Officers Joseph Pinkston and Morris Minor were commended for their hard work in these recent drug arrests.
Interim Chief Jay Winstead said that the department is taking violations of the COVID-19 restrictions very seriously.
"These places that we continue to have issues with will be suggested as places of nuisance to the Board of Mayor and Aldermen," Winstead said. "The board is then empowered to accept these places as a nuisance, enabling them to stop those businesses from operating."
Winstead added that officers also responded to several houses parties within Yazoo City over the weekend.
"The homeowners were cited for being in violation of current COVID restrictions," Winstead said.
Winstead said officers have also been strongly addressing the illegal use of ATVs within the city limits. Five ATVs have been cited and towed from Jonestown to the north end of town.
"It's been a citywide effort to strictly enforce this because not only is it unsafe for them to operate on city streets, but it is also illegal," he said. "We are also paying special attention to the youth we are finding on the ATVs within the city. Parents shouldn't be allowing their children to operate the ATVs based on the manufacturing directions, as well as it being illegal and extremely dangerous."
Motor vehicles on the road pose an extreme threat to the ATVs. And the noise produced by the ATVs are a disturbance to city neighborhoods, Winstead added.
