Waveland man sentenced for having drugs in jail

District Attorney Crosby Parker announced Thursday that 28-year old Jarrett Dean Garth of Waveland, pled guilty this week to one count of Possession of a Controlled Substance within a Correctional Facility and was sentenced at the Hancock County Courthouse by Circuit Court Judge Christopher Schmidt.

Garth, who had been convicted of previous felonies, was sentenced on Monday to five years in the custody of the Mississippi Department of Corrections.

In September 2022, the Hancock County Sheriff’s Office became aware of the possible presence of narcotics inside the Hancock County Jail, Parker said in a press release Thursday.

"Through the use of investigative techniques, investigators were able to focus their investigation on Jarret Dean Garth," Parker said. "Investigators conducted a search of Garth’s cell and located a latex glove, containing over one gram of Methamphetamine, underneath Garth’s bed."

ADA Jeremy Necaise, who prosecuted the case said, “[t]he Methamphetamine found in the glove was individually packaged into four separate small baggies for obvious distribution within the facility.”

“I would like to commend Sheriff Adam and the Hancock County Sheriff’s Office for their investigative work and staying vigilant in keeping our jails free from contraband," Parker said. "We will continue to prosecute those who violate the law and ensure accountability for their actions."