WALTHALL — Defendants sentenced during the January term of Webster County Circuit Court included a former Sheriff’s Department jailer.
Webster County Circuit Court records show Santana M. Gary Townsend, 32, pleaded guilty Jan. 9 to furnishing contraband to an inmate.
Circuit Judge George Mitchell Jr. sentenced her to 10 years in the custody of the Mississippi Department of Corrections. However, he suspended the sentence for five years and placed her on supervised probation for five years.
Upon motion of the state, Mitchell dismissed the other three counts of the indictment, which were two counts of sexual activity between jailer and inmate, and one count of sale, possession or use of a controlled substance in a jail facility.
Mitchell’s order also states that, as part of the plea agreement, “the defendant agrees to continue to cooperate with the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation.” Townsend must also pay all court costs and assessments.
According to the contraband count of the indictment and her petition to enter a plea of guilty, Townsend allowed Cornelius Caldwell access to or handed him a cell phone while he was confined in the Webster County Jail between Feb. 14-Dec. 19, 2018. Caldwell, 41, is now housed in the Mississippi State Penitentiary serving two sentences totaling 10 years from Montgomery County. He was sentenced in September 2018 for malicious mischief and felony DUI, according to online MDOC records.
Townsend was a part-time jailer who was indicted and arraigned Jan. 14, 2019, when she was also fired by then-Acting Sheriff Andy McCants. Her case was continued on May 28 “due to the defendant being a potential witness for the state,” according to an order signed by Circuit Judge Joseph Loper Jr.
Former Sheriff Tim Mitchell and former Chief Investigator Landon Griffin were also indicted in January 2019 stemming from criminal activity at the Sheriff's Department. They were sentenced July 30 after entering guilty pleas in Circuit Court. Mitchell pleaded guilty to two counts of embezzlement (of four firearms) by a public official and two counts of trafficking in stolen firearms. He was ordered to resign and serve a 15-year prions sentence. Griffin pleaded guilty to one count each of embezzlement (of a firearm) by a public official and transfer of a stolen firearm, for which he was ordered to serve 10 years.
In subsequent court action in Townsend’s case, Mitchell signed an order of compensation for appointed counsel on Jan. 21. According to the order, Starkville attorney Bruce Brown was specially appointed in January 2019 to represent her because of a conflict in cases with the regular public defender.
The court found that Brown’s request for compensation and expenses of $2,055.16 was reasonable and conservative, and ordered Webster County to pay him that amount for representation of Townsend.
Other Pleas
Webster County Circuit Court records show these defendants were also among those who entered guilty pleas to the indictment charges listed on the respective dates and were sentenced by Mitchell to the terms listed with MDOC (unless otherwise noted).
This report only includes defendants who were sentenced through Jan. 16. An article on those sentenced since then will be published in a subsequent issue; the January court term concluded Jan. 24.
Jan. 9:
Christy Ann Blount, 31, motor vehicle theft: five years. After serving four months she is to be released on placed on four years and eight months of probation. A second count charging her with escape was dismissed upon motion of the state.
Joe Ed Gladney, 56, felony driving under the influence: five years to be served through the Intensive Supervision Program/House Arrest Program for one year. Upon completion of one year of the program, he is to be released and placed on probation for four years. He must also pay a monthly program fee.
Jan. 13:
Johnny Carnes, 54, burglary of a dwelling house: 10 years to run at the same time as a 10-year sentence he received in October in Winston County for residential burglary. A second count of possession of meth was dismissed upon motion of the state.
Rico Davion Simmons, 22, possession of meth: three years; after serving four months he is to be released and placed on two years and eight months of probation. Simmons will be given credit for time served.
Jonathan Wells, 37, misdemeanor possession of meth, reduced from a felony: one year in the county jail suspended for one year probation.
Previous Sentences
Circuit Court records show Judge Loper also sentenced these defendants in 2019 on the dates listed:
June 26:
Jessie E. Ponder, 33, possession of meth: two years, to be placed on probation for one year and 10 months after completing two months of the sentence.
July 30:
Courtney Marie Taylor, 30, motor vehicle theft: Taylor pleaded guilty plea June 17, when the court found that she had violated the terms and conditions of the Drug Court program. Consequently, she was removed from the program and her guilty plea was accepted.
On July 30, Loper sentenced her serve a five-year term, with two years suspended for two years when she is released from actual confinement and the remaining three years to serve. Upon release she will be placed on probation for two years.
Ricky L. Wofford, 33, possession of meth: 15 years, to be placed on probation for seven years after completing eight years of the sentence.
Aug. 26:
Lewis Henry “Payday” Thompson Jr., 27, burglary of a dwelling: 15 years with five years of probation after completing 10 years. The sentence is running consecutively to any sentence previously imposed and Thompson was given credit for all time served before sentencing. He is also to complete long-term therapeutic drug and alcohol treatment while in custody. All sentence enhancement provisions of the indictment were dismissed.
