OXFORD, Miss. — Brandon Addison, the former police chief of Hollandale, pleaded guilty Thursday to federal charges of drug trafficking and conspiracy. The plea relates to transporting and distributing illegal drugs through parts of the Mississippi Delta and into Memphis via Highway 61, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Mississippi.
Addison, 41, is the main defendant in a case that involves nine former law enforcement officers from the Mississippi Delta. He admitted to accepting $37,500 in bribes, the largest amount among the defendants, in connection with six indictments unsealed in October. Authorities say Addison traveled to Miami in April 2023 and September 2024 to discuss strategy with FBI agents posing as members of a Mexican drug cartel.
He was also indicted for carrying or using a firearm during four drug runs and conspiring to traffic illegal drugs. The U.S. Attorney’s Office dropped charges related to aiding and abetting the transport of drugs on four separate dates as part of his plea deal. Addison has a history as a deputy with the Humphreys County sheriff’s office and has worked for police departments in Arcola and Metcalfe.
Senior U.S. District Judge Michael P. Mills accepted Addison’s plea and scheduled sentencing for Aug. 13. Addison was released on a $10,000 unsecured bond after his arrest on Oct. 30. Authorities also arrested former law enforcement officers and associates involved in the conspiracy, which targeted the transport of approximately 55 pounds of cocaine across multiple runs.
The U.S. Department of Justice previously unsealed six indictments, charging more than 14 current and former Mississippi Delta law enforcement officers with drug trafficking. Several defendants, including former sheriff’s deputies and police officers from counties such as Washington, Humphreys, and Sunflower, face related charges. Some defendants, like former sheriff Bruce Williams, have pleaded not guilty and plan to mount a defense.
Authorities say the investigation was initiated when a local drug dealer and FBI informant introduced Addison and others to an undercover agent posing as a cartel member. Addison and his associates escorted drug shipments on three occasions in 2023 and 2024, as well as the proceeds of these trafficking efforts.
Jon Ross Myers is the executive editor and publisher of the Mississippi News Network, Mississippi's largest digital only media company. He can be reached at editor@tippahnews.com
