ADAMS COUNTY, Mississippi — Deputies arrested a Texas fugitive Monday afternoon after they found him lying in the grass along U.S. Highway 61 North, the Adams County Sheriff’s Office said.
Deputies were dispatched at approximately 4:05 p.m. Feb. 23 to 648 Highway 61 North following a welfare check call, the sheriff’s office said. Responding officers made contact with a man later identified as Jessip Shawn Fontenot, who gave inconsistent statements about his identity and his reason for being in Natchez, the office said.
Deputies observed what appeared to be dried blood on Fontenot’s clothing, which he was unable to clearly explain, the office said. A routine check through the National Crime Information Center — a federal database used by law enforcement to check for warrants and criminal history — showed Fontenot had an active felony warrant for a probation violation related to burglary of a building from the Bowie County Sheriff’s Office in Texarkana, Texas.
Bowie County authorities confirmed the warrant and told Adams County they would extradite, the sheriff’s office said. Fontenot was taken into custody without incident and transported to the Adams County Sheriff’s Office, where he will be held pending extradition to Texas. The Adams County Sheriff’s Office said it remains committed to public safety and assisting partner agencies in apprehending wanted fugitives. This is a developing story and will be updated as more details emerge.
