HOUSTON - A combination investigation by the Chickasaw County Sheriff's Dept., Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics and Department of Corrections brought an arrest of a local man on drug charges.

Epifanio Nicolas "Nico" Moreno of the Thorn Community west of Houston, was arrested June 19 and charged with the sale of marijuana (over 30 grams) and possession of marijuana with intent to sell (over one kilo).

"We ran a search warrant on it and came up with 2.69 pounds of marijuana, two sets off scales and cash," said CSO Deputy Lee Womack.

Womack is partnered with a K9 drug dog, Max, who was also involved in the investigation.

"It was all of us working together," Womack said.

Morena was currently on probation with the Dept. of Corrections for a prior drug offense and will be returned to a judge to face the new charges. He is being held on a amp"blue warrantamp" by the DOC without bond at the CSO and is expected to face a Circuit Court judge likely in July.

Penick employee faces charges

Former Penick Produce Co. manager Howard Fisackerly Jr. has pleaded not guilty to almost 20 counts of embezzlement from the company.

Fisackerly was indicted by the Calhoun County grand jury in May and appeared to face the charges in Circuit Court in Pittsboro on June 12. The grand jury returned 19 true bills of indictment.

Eighteen of the charges involve dates and amounts totaling $472,881. The 19th charge covers 2003 to 2008 and alleges a total theft of $551,832 over that period.

There are no charges with specific dates for 2003, and only one for 2004. For 2005, there is an overall charge for the year, along with three individual dates with their own charges. All of 2006 is covered by one charge.

Two of the charges allege thefts of $75,000 on two separate occasions. Other large thefts alleged include single instances of $50,000 and $25,000.

The remaining full terms of Circuit Court this year in Calhoun County will be held in August and December.