Poplarville alderman Kevin Tillman arrested on drug charges

Poplarville alderman Kevin Tillman has been taken into custody by officials following a county-wide drug roundup for individuals with active arrest warrants.

The Pearl River Sheriff’s Department reports that Tillman, alongside 14 others, was arrested for various drug offenses. The alderman was charged with transfer or sale of a controlled substance. His bail was set at $20,000

Tillman’s attorney, Donald J. Rafferty, told The Picayune Item that his client is innocent of all accusations.

“We emphatically deny the allegations, and we look forward to our day in court,” Rafferty said to the local newspaper.

Rafferty later requested leniency in the bond amount due to Tillman’s status as a public figure. That request was denied by the judge.

Pearl River County Sheriff David Allison, Pearl River County Deputies, Federal Agents from Homeland Security Investigations, State Narcotics Agents, and Picayune Police Department Officers conducted the roundup in collaboration with one another.

Others arrested in the operation:

Joshua Jones (transfer or sale of a controlled substance)
Richard Alf Kennedy (two counts of transfer or sale of a controlled substance)
Stacy Bowden (possession of drug paraphernalia)
Salina Craft (transfer or sale of a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance)
Shane Shelhorse (three counts of transfer or of a controlled substance)
Lora Phelps (transfer or sale of a controlled substance)
Whitney Glidewell (transfer or sale of a controlled substance)
Brian McCawley (transfer or sale of a controlled substance)
Patrick McCawley (transfer or sale of a controlled substance)
Derrion Pittman (transfer or sale of a controlled substance)
Billy Joe Smith (trafficking a controlled substance)
Aaron Spiers (transfer or sale of a controlled substance)
David Fairley (trafficking a controlled substance)
Donald Ray Loper (possession of a controlled substance)