A Sharkey County grand jury returned nine indictments during its September session and, for the first time in recent years, none was drug-related.

Assistant District Attorney Angela Carpenter, who has been in the job since January, said having no drug defendants was something of a surprise.

“We’re just beginning to see the problems firsthand, but it appears to be the sentiment of the community that drugs are a major problem,” Carpenter said.

A reason for the absence of drug cases presented by law enforcement might be the weather.

“In speaking with agents at the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, we learned there were cases they were getting together but were unable to finish because many of their agents were called away during Gustav to help law enforcement in towns on the coast,” Carpenter said.

She added those cases should be ready when the next grand jury meets, which will be in January.

Indicted were:

• Devon Bee, 41, 217 Washington St., vehicle burglary.

• Wanda Carter, 42, Anguilla, aggravated assault.

• Demetric Jackson, 29, Vicksburg, was indicted in two crimes for two counts of burglary of a dwelling and two counts of grand larceny.

• Johnnie Jackson, 45, 4116 Cary Blanton Road, Rolling Fork, burglary of a dwelling.

• Ed Kelly, 47, Cary, burglary of a dwelling and grand larceny.

• Jermaine Miles, 25, 87 Mulberry Road, Rolling Fork, four counts of aggravated assault.

• Freddie Myles, 44, 1240 West Cotton Road, Greenville, business burglary and grand larceny.

• Marvin Powell, 21, 45 Mulberry Road, Rolling Fork, aggravated assault.

In their written report based on inspection and review of local government operations, jurors suggested air conditioners and elevators in the courthouse and repairs for that building, additional money to law enforcement agencies for training in equipment to gathering fingerprints and other forensic evidence. Jurors also suggested a local drug task force.