‘Trash Bag Gang’ Members Sentenced in Choctaw County

Some of the items recovered following burglary arrests.

Myers

Marcus Taylor

Maurice Taylor

CHOCTAW COUNTY, Miss. — Three members of the so-called “trash bag gang” have been sentenced for crimes in Choctaw County, announced MBN Director Sam Owens and Attorney General Jim Hood jointly today.

Leabrian Myers, 23, of Madison, and Marcus and Maurice Taylor, 32, twin brothers from Jackson, appeared before Judge Clarence E. Morgan, III, in Choctaw County Circuit Court Tuesday.

Myers pleaded guilty to one count of business burglary involving a break-in at Ackerman Discount Drugs.  He was sentenced to seven years to serve as a habitual offender, with seven years to serve to run consecutive to the eight years he is currently serving on a similar charge in Madison County.

In the same case, Marcus Taylor pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance.  He was sentenced to 15 years to serve as a habitual offender.  Maurice Taylor pleaded guilty to one count possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute.  He was sentenced to 20 years, five suspended with 15 to serve as a habitual offender.

“We won’t tolerate drug store burglaries or any other form of diverting prescription drugs to illicit uses,” said MBN Deputy Director Mike Perkins.

“We appreciate our working relationship with MBN,” said Attorney General Hood.  “They did a great job investigating these cases so we could wind up with a successful prosecution.”

In exchange for their guilty pleas, the State agreed not to pursue other charges pending in other counties against the defendants and they must offer truthful testimony against the one remaining co-defendant.  The group became known as the “trash bag gang”  because they would use a can from the stores they robbed to carry out the drugs they had stolen.

The case was investigated by MBN with assistance from Investigator Chris Watkins of the Attorney General’s Public Integrity Division.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant Attorney General Stan Alexander and Special Assistant Attorney General Marvin Sanders.