Suspects in custody after standoff in Pelahatchie

On Wednesday June 10, Rankin County Criminal Interdiction deputies were working Interstate 20 eastbound in Rankin County. At approximately 2:30 p.m., deputies stopped a Chevy Tahoe for speeding and careless driving. During the stop, deputies suspected the two occupants of possible criminal activity and obtained consent to search the vehicle. During the search, approximately one pound of cocaine was located in a box on the back seat. When deputies located the cocaine, the driver of the vehicle, later identified as Jeffery Sellers, fled on foot.   Sellers ran across the eastbound lanes then across the westbound lanes of Interstate 20 and into a heavily wooded area north of the interstate. A deputy along with his K-9 partner pursued the suspect on foot. When the deputy and canine neared Sellers, he displayed a weapon and told the deputy he would shoot the deputy and his dog. The deputy took cover and radioed for backup.  

Numerous Rankin County deputies, along with MHP Troopers and Pelahatchie Officers responded to the deputy’s call for assistance. The area was soon saturated with law enforcement officers. Contact was made with the suspect again approximately 50 yards off the interstate in heavy woods. Sellers threatened to shoot the officers and then repeatedly threatened to shoot himself. Officers trained in negotiations were soon on the scene and began to communicate with the suspect.  The Jackson Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigations was contacted, and additional Hostage Negotiators and FBI Agents were requested to respond in support of the standoff. Several FBI Agents responded and assisted with the negotiations and security of the scene. After approximately 5 hours of negotiation with little progress and darkness approaching the decision was made to attempt to take Sellers into custody using “less than lethal” force. At approximately 7:40 p.m., diversionary devices were deployed in coordination with rubber pellets and sponge rounds. A specially trained sheriff’s office K-9 was deployed and within seconds had the suspect detained. Officers moved in and were able to restrain Sellers and safely take him into custody.  Sellers was immediately examined by Pafford Ambulance Service was then transported to the Rankin County Jail.  Jeffery Lamar Sellers and Erick Dwayne Sellers have both been booked in the Rankin County Jail on the charge of “Trafficking of a Controlled Substance.” District Attorney Bubba Bramlett will bring both before Rankin County Court Judge Kent McDaniel for an initial appearance.  Sheriff Bryan Bailey thanks the brave men and women of the Rankin County Sheriff’s Department, the Pelahatchie Police Department, the MS Highway Patrol and the FBI who put themselves in harm’s way today to keep the citizens of Rankin County safe and bring a peaceful end to the incident.  See: ABA recognizes Mississippi’s efforts to provide civil legal assistance to the poor