A CONTRACT BUS DRIVER AND TWO VISITORS ARE ARRESTED FOR SMUGGLING ILLEGAL
CONTRABAND INTO PARCHMAN.SUNFLOWER COUNTY SHERIFF JAMES HAYWOOD CONFIRMS THE
SATURDAY ARRESTS. ELLA THIGPEN OF DREW WORKS AS A CONTRACT BUS DRIVER FOR THE
MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS. THE 46-YEAR-OLD ALLEGEDLY TRIED TO
SMUGGLE IN TWO CELL PHONES ONTO PRISON GROUNDS. THIGPEN HAS BEEN CHARGED WITH
ONE COUNT OF INTRODUCTION OF CONTRABAND AND ONE COUNT OF CONSPIRACY TO INTRODUCE
CONTRABAND. SHE IS OUT ON A 20-THOUSAND DOLLAR BOND. AS FOR THE VISITORS, SONIA
TAYLOR AND RENITA RICHEY, BOTH OF BOONEVILLE, WERE ARRESTED SATURDAY FOR
SMUGGLING CELLPHONES INTO THE PRISON. BOTH WOMEN ARE OUT ON A 10-THOUSAND DOLLAR
BOND TONIGHT.