A man with courthouse ties in Leflore County has been charged with possession of crack cocaine.
The North Central Narcotics Task Force arrested Charles “Big Charlie” Stevenson, 45, 314 W. Henry St., on Monday at the intersection of Henderson and Johnson streets during a routine traffic stop, according to Agent Casey Wiggins.
Agents found close to an ounce of crack cocaine, Wiggins said. Stevenson was driving a vehicle registered to himself, according to Chuck Harris, the task force’s director.
Stevenson was released on $10,000 bond. He could not be reached for comment Friday at his home.
Stevenson is not a county employee but often assists with election-related duties in the circuit clerk’s office. He’s regularly there on Election Day handling ballot boxes as they come in from precincts.
“He’s helped me. I’ve known Charlie for 10 to 12 years,” Circuit Clerk Trey Evans said Thursday.
Evans said Stevenson is kin to one of his former employees and started helping out while that person worked there.
Stevenson’s name has also come up during the contentious battle between Preston Ratliff and Anjuan Brown for the Democratic nomination for District 3 supervisor. Ratliff’s election challenge disputing Brown’s win is scheduled to go to trial on Thursday. A preliminary hearing before Circuit Judge James Chaney will be Monday.
Ratliff testified during a Sept. 7 hearing before a portion of the Leflore County Democratic Executive Committee that Stevenson appeared to function as an employee prior to the Aug. 2 primary.
“Mr. Stevenson would be behind the counter. If you didn’t know him, you would just assume he was a clerk of the circuit clerk’s office,” Ratliff said.
He said on several occasions he witnessed Stevenson answer the telephone and give people directions about whether to vote or not and also provide assistance to absentee voters.
“Mr. Stevenson is a 6’7” in height individual; he’s big. They appeared to be somewhat intimidated,” said Ratliff, who identified Stevenson as one of Brown’s supporters.
Evans said Ratliff and others may gloat after seeing Stevenson picked up by authorities.
“A lot of people out there like seeing other people having misery,” Evans said.
