It was a busy week for the Southern District Court of Mississippi as one individual was convicted and two others sentenced in separate cases.

In a news release Tuesday, U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and DEA Special Agent in Charge Brad Byerley announced Arthur Wilson, 57, of Moreno Valley, California, was convicted of conspiracy to traffic of his role in trafficking large quantities of methamphetamine and marijuana into Natchez.

“According to court documents, from 2016 through 2018, Arthur Wilson, 57, from Moreno Valley, California, conspired with Wesley Bell of Natchez, Jimmie Lee Swearengen, Jr., of Mesquite, TX, Thomas Jerome Mitchell and Justine Chambers of Victorville, CA, and Kevin Singleton, formerly of Natchez, to traffic kilograms of methamphetamine and marijuana into the Natchez area for distribution and sale,” LaMarca and Byerley said in the news release.

Wilson was also convicted of conspiracy to commit money laundering for moving more than $345,000 from drug sales from Natchez back to his suppliers in California.

Wilson is set to be sentenced on Nov. 9. He faces up to life in prison and fines of up to $10 million.

Also on Tuesday, LaMarca and Byerley announced Ronald Coleman, 47, of Houston, Texas, was sentenced to 132 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute a fentanyl analogue.

Fentanyl analogues are drugs chemically similar to fentanyl, which can vary widely in potency. According to the CDC, Carfentanil, which is considered to be the most potent fentanyl analogue, is about 10,000 times more potent than morphine.

Coleman was stopped in Harrison County along I-10 on Sept. 21, 2021 when officers found marijuana in the trunk of his car and what was originally thought to be heroin hidden in the back of the passenger seat.

“Testing at the DEA laboratory revealed that the substances were over 400 grams of marijuana and over 500 grams of fentanyl analogue,” LaMarca and Byerley said.

The case was investigated by the DEA and Harrison County Sheriff’s Office.

In a separate case, LaMarca and FBI Special Agent Jermicha Fomby announced Jemarcus Demon Morgan, 32, of Jackson, was sentenced Tuesday to 62 months in prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.

In a news release, LaMarca and Fomby said Jackson Police Department officers responded to Morgan’s house on Nov. 13, 2019 for a domestic disturbance. While there, officers found a .22 rifle under the bed, which Morgan claimed was his.

“He had previously been convicted of multiple felony offenses, including possession of controlled substances, simple robbery and possession of contraband in a correctional facility,” LaMarca and Fomby said.

The FBI and Jackson Police Department investigated the case.