RICHLAND, MS – A routine traffic stop turned into a major drug bust on Saturday, April 19, after a Richland Police officer uncovered a stash of narcotics on a convicted felon during a roadside search on Highway 49.
According to police, the officer initiated the stop for a traffic violation. While standing near the vehicle, the officer observed the driver trying to conceal or destroy an item in a soda cup. It was later confirmed to be a marijuana joint laced with PCP, a potent hallucinogen.
Upon exiting the vehicle, a pill bottle containing crack cocaine allegedly fell from the driver’s shorts. A subsequent search revealed more drugs hidden in his clothing, including a bag of marijuana and two separate bags of powder cocaine concealed in the rear of his pants.
Drug Seizure Totals:
60 grams of powder cocaine (street value approx. $5,000)
3 grams of crack cocaine
3 grams of PCP-laced marijuana
11 grams of marijuana
The suspect, 36-year-old Courtney Sirron Gibson of Florence, Mississippi, is a previously convicted felon with a record of drug offenses. He now faces multiple felony charges, including:
Trafficking cocaine – with a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and up to 40 years if convicted
Felony possession of PCP – carrying a potential sentence of up to 8 years
Gibson was taken into custody, and the case remains under investigation by Richland authorities.
