By By Sheila Blackmon/The Meridian Star
Feb. 21, 2001
An anonymous tip called into the sheriff's office led to the arrest of two Meridian men earlier this week for operating a moonshine still.
Elbert L. Williams Sr., 60, of 5286 Water Valley Road, and Reginald Nay Williams Jr., 42, of 805 Church Ave., were charged Monday night with with possession of an illegal distillery, a felony.
The arrests were made by John Butler and Rusty Hanna of Alcohol Beverage Control's Meridian office.
The still was in an old barn on Highway 496 in Toomsuba, Hanna said. ABC agents seized and destroyed 550 gallons of rye mash, a 500-gallon cooker, copper condenser, 420 pounds of sugar, 1,920 one-gallon plastic jugs distillery equipment and materials capable of producing about $5,000 in moonshine whiskey monthly.
Hanna said illegal stills are less common than they once were.
ABC agents from Hattiesburg office and Lauderdale County sheriff's deputies assisted in the arrest.
Reginald Williams was released on a $5,000 bond Tuesday, while Elbert Williams remains in custody this morning in the Lauderdale County Detention Facility.
Sheila Blackmon is a staff writer for The Meridian Star. E-mail her at sblackmon@themeridianstar.com.