Man convicted of directing drug sales from Madison County jail

MADISON CO., Miss. (WLBT) - A man, already behind bars in Madison County, has a new charge on his record.

A jury found Lucas Howard guilty of one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine and conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine.

The sheriff’s department says Howard, also known as Bam, is a convicted drug dealer continuing his drug enterprise through his girlfriend while in jail.

MCSD said Howard was directing her to go to Jackson and buy drugs and bring them back into Canton, where she and others intended to sell them out of Howard’s residence.

Deputies said they began monitoring the outgoing jail phone calls in 2019 as part of an ongoing narcotics investigation.

Officers said they later contacted Howard’s girlfriend and co-defendant, Alissa Washington, and discovered her bringing cocaine back from Jackson on November 2, 2019.

Law enforcement officers found 26 grams of cocaine on Washington after a traffic stop.

“You shouldn’t deal drugs, or commit any other crimes, for that matter, while you are in jail. Mr. Howard had a lengthy and serious criminal record, and we hope that after this guilty verdict, he will receive the maximum allowed by law,” District Attorney Bubba Bramlett said. “He had been convicted at least three prior times for sale of cocaine. He is a habitual offender and a subsequent drug offender and will not be parole eligible.”

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