District Attorney W. Dewayne Richardson announced this week that Johnathan Sutton pled guilty Monday, November 2nd, in Washington County Circuit Court to the charges of Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon and Conspiracy to Introduce Contraband into the Washington County Regional Correctional Facility.
Sutton chose instead to plead guilty to the charges brought against him rather than to proceed to trial. Sutton was sentenced to 10 years with the Mississippi Department of Corrections, with 4 of those years to be served behind bars.
The charges stemmed from a 2016 incident wherein inmates at the Washington County Regional Correctional Facility were caught receiving and introducing contraband within the jail. Sutton was charged with conspiring with others to introduce such contraband into the WCRCF. The remaining Defendants face an upcoming trial date for their charges.
The case against Sutton was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney M. Austin Frye, who expressed his appreciation for the hard work and dedication of the Washington County Sheriff’s Department, who oversee and protect the regional facility. Frye stated that: “Violators are constantly coming up with new ways to introduce dangerous items into our jails, including drugs, weapons and communication devices. Through the prosecution of Johnathan Sutton, the Washington County Sheriff’s Department is showing that not only are they diligent in their endless efforts to maintain order and safety within our jail, but that they are also very effective. Those violators who attempt to contraband into our jail will be caught and punished.”