Arsenio Tatum, Methamphetamine Possession with Intent to Distribute, Mississippi 2020

A Purvis man has been sentenced to over 12 years in prison for his role in a methamphetamine trafficking operation in Hattiesburg, Mississippi.

According to court documents, 31-year-old Arsenio Tatum sold approximately a pound of methamphetamine at a residence in Hattiesburg on January 10, 2020.

Tatum was sentenced to 151 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, alongside a $5,000 fine. The prison sentence was handed down by a federal court in Mississippi.

The case was the result of a lengthy investigation known as 'Don't Tell On Me Bro,' which targeted illegal drug trafficking in the Hattiesburg area. The operation was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation.

OCDETF is a multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. The task force identifies, disrupts, and dismantles high-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations.

The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, Lamar County Sheriff's Office, Forrest County Sheriff's Office, Hattiesburg Police Department, Columbia Police Department, and Marion County Sheriff's Department. Assistant United States Attorney Keesha Middleton prosecuted the case.

Tatum's sentence marks a significant blow to the methamphetamine trafficking operation in the Hattiesburg area. The conviction and sentence serve as a reminder of the consequences of involvement in such activities.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdms/pr/purvis-man-sentenced-over-12-years-prison-possession-intent-distribute-methamphetamine