Pastor jailed for reportedly selling narcotics during ‘counseling sessions’

LEE COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – A pastor is jailed on charges he sold narcotics to people during ‘counseling sessions.’

Lee Hersey, 49, was arrested earlier this week after a joint undercover operation by the North Mississippi Narcotics Unit and the Lee County Sheriff’s Department.

Sheriff Jim Johnson says Hersey, who is also a pastor, was arrested at the Corner Outlet Store in Shannon, and charged with four counts of the sale of hydrocodone.

The sheriff says Hersey would use a warehouse space for counseling sessions, often with females, and sell the pain pills during the sessions.

“He was very successful at the manner he was doing this because we have had several individuals, young ladies that were addicted to this, going back to him on random occasions, spending several thousand dollars with him. He would also swap favors, out, sexual favors for this product. When you get somebody off the streets such as this , this is not somebody who is capable of going to a rehabilitation place and being changed this is somebody who is putting drugs on the street that we’ve had numerous complaints over,” said Johnson.

Bond was set at $100,000 for Hersey. Sheriff Johnson says more arrests are expected.