Jackson man pleads guilty to possession of methamphetamine with intent

JACKSON, Miss. (WDAM) - A Jackson man pleaded guilty Friday in federal court to conspiracy and possession of crystal methamphetamine with the intent to distribute.

According to court documents, Lorenzo Sutton, 43, sold pounds of crystal methamphetamine to Erica Rhodes and others between January 2016 and April 2021 with the intent that the crystal methamphetamine be further distributed throughout the Jackson Metropolitan area for profit.

Sutton is scheduled to be sentenced Aug. 16 and faces a mandatory minimum term of 10 years in prison and a maximum term of life in prison.

A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Rhodes received a 4-year federal prison sentence in January 2022 to run concurrently with a prior 15-year state sentence in the Rankin County Circuit Court for her role in the drug trafficking operation.

Sutton’s outcome was announced by U.S. Attorney Darren LaMarca, Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge Brad Byerley and Steve Maxwell.

This case is the result of an extensive investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, the Rankin County District Attorney’s Office, the Rankin County Sheriff’s Office, the Scott County Sheriff’s Office, the Ridgeland Police Department, the Pearl Police Department, the Flowood Police Department, the National Guard Counter Drug Unit, the Hinds County Sheriff’s Office and the Jackson Police Department.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Carla J. Clark prosecuted the case.

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