In what officials called “a monumental betrayal of public trust,” more than a dozen law enforcement officers are among 20 defendants charged in Mississippi and Tennessee for an alleged drug trafficking bribery scheme. The federal indictment alleges the defendants, which includes two sheriffs, of accepting bribes from FBI agents posing as drug cartel members to facilitate the passage of illicit drugs through the Mississippi Delta region. Federal officials initiated a years-long investigation after hearing complaints from real drug traffickers about having to pay bribes to law enforcement officers. More than a dozen Mississippi law enforcement officers, including two elected sheriffs, were indicted for allegedly assisting drug trafficking across the state, officials announced Thursday. MORE: https://t.co/BtqE1wx5gu pic.twitter.com/aO7aQKTIpC — NewsNation (@NewsNation) October 30, 2025 WLBT has more: According to indictments, the co-conspirators received bribes to provide safe passage for FBI agents posing as drug cartel members through counties along Highway 61 into Memphis. Bribes ranged from $1,500 to more than tens of thousands. Washington County Sheriff Milton Gaston, meanwhile, received “multiple monetary payments for his blessing for the cartel to operate in his county and use his deputies to protect the cartel’s illegal drug trafficking.” The indictment goes on to state that Gaston “attempted to have those monetary payments disguised as ‘campaign contributions,’ but did not report them as required by law.” Humphreys County Sheriff Bruce Williams also was said to have given his blessing for undercover FBI agents posing as Mexican cartel members to transport drugs and drug proceeds through his county. He also gave the cartel permission to use his chief deputy, Truron Grayson, to escort the narcotics and narcotics proceeds. “In regard to the escort runs, each of the defendants understood that they were protecting the transportation of 25 kilos of cocaine, sometimes referred to as ‘birds,’ or, on October 5, 2023, the transportation of illegal narcotics proceeds,” the indictment states. In addition to the bribes for providing escorts, some co-conspirators were also given money “during the course of the investigation to build trust with the corrupt law enforcement officers, to lay the groundwork for future runs, and to take other action to further the drug trafficking conspiracy.” Watch footage from the press conference announcing the indictment: Mississippi Law Enforcement caught working with the cartel to smuggle drugs into America “We're here today to talk about some incredibly serious allegations that mark a monumental betrayal of public trust — to announce the indictment and arrest of 20 individuals, most of them… pic.twitter.com/apNVHwN2XM — Wall Street Apes (@WallStreetApes) November 2, 2025 WAPT shared: Back in March of 2023, an undercover FBI agent posing as a member of a Mexican drug cartel connected with Addison and Howard through an informant who was a known drug dealer, according to the indictment. That would lead to the introduction of Sheriff Williams and Sheriff Gaston and the other law enforcement officials. Investigators said the law enforcement officers were paid bribes to provide enforcement during drug runs to Memphis, including 25 kilos of cocaine in one instance. They were transporting drugs and drug money through Delta counties along Highway 61, according to the indictment. The FBI said Addison and Howard traveled to Miami to meet with the undercover FBI agent to set up the drug-running venture and eventually made another trip back to Miami with other co-conspirators. Over the course of the drug-running operation from March 2023 to October 2024, the amount of bribes paid to the law enforcement officers totaled nearly $200,000. NewsNation shared the full press conference: