A Canton man has entered a guilty plea for possession with intent to distribute over 50 grams of methamphetamine. The incident occurred near the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians' Reservation in Neshoba County, Mississippi.
Joe Santakeye Jones, aged 51, admitted his guilt on January 29, 2025, in the U.S. District Court located in Jackson. He is slated for sentencing on May 1, 2025. The charges carry a minimum sentence of ten years and could extend to life imprisonment. A federal district judge will finalize the sentence after evaluating the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines along with other legal factors.
The announcement was made by Acting U.S. Attorney Patrick A. Lemon alongside Assistant Special Agent in Charge Anessa Daniels-McCaw from the Drug Enforcement Administration and Regional Agent in Charge Whitney Woodruff from the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
The investigation involved collaboration between the Choctaw Police Department, the U.S. Department of Interior Bureau of Indian Affairs, and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin J. Payne and Brian K. Burns led the prosecution efforts in this case.