A Eupora man has received a 10-year prison sentence after pleading guilty in Webster County Circuit Court to statutory rape.
Larry S. “Bubba” Fountain Jr., 38, pleaded guilty to the indictment against him on Jan. 10. Circuit Judge George Mitchell Jr. sentenced him to five years in the custody of the Mississippi Department of Corrections, with five years to serve followed by five years of post-release supervision (parole).
Mitchell ordered that Fountain be given credit for time served. The judge also ordered him to pay an assessment of $1,000 to the Mississippi Children’s Trust Fund. He must also register as a sex offender after his release from custody.
After his arrest last June, the Webster County Sheriff’s Department said the victim was 14 at the time of the relationship and had a had a baby. The WCSD said results from a DNA sample obtained from Fountain led to his arrest.
He was serving a 75-day sentence in Bolivar County for unrelated child support issues when served a warrant on the statutory rape charge.
Other Judgments
Mitchell also entered these judgments against other defendants who pleaded guilty to indictments brought against them in Circuit Court:
• Justin Andrew Shurden, 29, of Eupora received a 10-year sentence on Jan. 10 for retaliation against a public servant.
Mitchell ordered him to serve nine months followed by nine-years and three months of parole with five years being reporting supervision and four years and three months non-reporting supervision. He ordered that Shurden be given credit for time served and be immediately released form custody.
Shurden was arrested April 10 at his home on West Roane Avenue after deputies went there to serve a Chancery Court order for a mental evaluation. Authorities said he would not open the locked front door, and began throwing firecrackers out the back door at a deputy. They also said Shurden came to the front door holding a firearm and threatened to kill another deputy.
According to the WCSD, Sheriff Tim Mitchell kicked the door in and entered. After hearing a commotion, deputies entered to find him on top of Shurden attempting to handcuff him. The deputies helped Mitchell subdue him. Then-Investigator Landon Griffin said that, during the struggle, Shurden pointed a gun at him but it misfired because the breech was not closed all the way.
Shurden was originally charged with disorderly conduct, simple assault on a law enforcement officer and resisting arrest.
• Craig Freeman, 38, received a three-year sentence on Jan. 10 for false pretense/bad check. The sentence was suspended for three years and Freeman was placed on supervised probation for that period with MDOC.
Mitchell ordered Freeman to pay restitution of $13,100 to Lamar Yarbrough of Maben within 29 months.
• Brent Dalyn Boatman, 37, received a six-month sentence with MDOC on Jan. 10 for possession of methamphetamine and was given credit for time served.
• Cody Edward Smith, 23, received a one-year suspended sentence in the county jail on Jan. 14 for misdemeanor possession of methamphetamine, which was reduced from a felony.
• Daniel J. Hayes, 30, pleaded guilty Jan. 10 to possession of methamphetamine. Mitchell did not accept the guilty plea at this time because Hayes has no prior felony conviction, and entered an order of non-adjudication. He placed Hayes on suspended probation for three years.
Those judgments are in addition to previously reported sentences for co-indictees Anthony Logan and Jonathan Logan, who pleaded guilty Jan. 10 to burglary of a dwelling. Both received 15-year sentences with 10 to serve followed by five years’ parole.
Proceedings are pending against a third person who was indicted with them, Lewis Thompson. He is being held in the county jail on a $50,000 Circuit Court bond after being arrested Jan. 23 on a hold for MDOC.
