Natchez man on probation arrested on gun charges
Published 1:00 am Tuesday, March 21, 2017
NATCHEZ — A Natchez man on probation was arrested Monday for allegedly possessing a handgun reported stolen during a 2016 burglary.
Jearmie L. O’Neal, 37, also reportedly had a small amount of cocaine and marijuana. Investigators also confiscated two additional guns from a different location from where O’Neal was arrested, said Adams County Sheriff’s Office Special Operations Group Maj. Shane Daugherty.
Daugherty said one of the other firearms could potentially be stolen.
O’Neal, 147 Steamplant Road, was charged with possession of cocaine with a firearm, possession of marijuana, possession of a stolen firearm and possession of drug paraphernalia.
O’Neal was sentenced to five years probation in 2013 for possession of a stolen weapon and had four months remaining on the sentence.
Daugherty said deputies executed a search warrant at the 147 Steamplant Road residence at approximately 5 a.m. Monday and reportedly recovered a shotgun and a rifle. The rifle, a Ruger .22-caliber, was loaded with a 50-round drum on it and had the serial number filed off, he said.
Daugherty said if investigators determine the rifle is stolen, O’Neal could face an additional possession of a stolen firearm charge.
A small amount of cocaine along with drug paraphernalia including scales were reportedly found at the Steamplant residence, he said.
A group of deputies also went to an Oak Ridge Manor Apartment, where O’Neal was located and arrested, Daugherty said.
O’Neal allegedly had a .45-caliber Springfield handgun on his person, which was reportedly stolen last year during a Natchez burglary of a residence, Daugherty said.
Daugherty said the arrest was part of an investigation into the missing Springfield handgun.
Daugherty said the sheriff’s office would also seek to get O’Neal’s probation revoked.
O’Neal was in jail Monday afternoon with no bond set.