A former Mississippi policeman involved in a major drug trafficking bribery scheme that ensnared 20 individuals, including two sheriffs, has been sentenced to prison time.
Ex-Greenwood police officer Jamario Sanford, 38, will spend seven and a half years in federal prison after pleading guilty to conspiring to aid and abet the possession of transportation, and distribution of illegal narcotics, as well as attempting to do the same. In addition to his time behind bars, Sanford will serve three years of supervised release.
Sanford was arrested in October 2025 and was indicted for providing an armed transport of what he believed to be a large quantity of cocaine through multiple Mississippi Delta counties for nearly $13,000 in bribes. The money came from an FBI informant posing as a member of a Mexican drug cartel.
Sanford is said to have worked alongside then-Greenwood police colleague Tyquanna Rucker along with Sunflower County deputy Marvin Flowers in moving the cocaine through the Delta for bribery payments in 2022. Rucker’s charges were dropped in October, while Flowers pleaded guilty to the charges levied against him.
“We hold positions of trust and serve as stewards of authority within our community. Sanford betrayed his oath to protect and serve when he chose instead to shield criminals from accountability,” FBI Special Agent in Charge of the Jackson Field Office Robert Eikhoff said. “We will continue working alongside our community partners to rebuild and strengthen public trust in law enforcement. The FBI remains steadfast in its commitment to aggressively investigate and bring to justice those who abuse their authority.”
Sanford and Flowers were two of six people connected to the scheme who have admitted criminal conduct. Former Greenville police officer Chaka Gaines notably pleaded not guilty and was cleared by a jury in April. More sentencings are scheduled to take place in this case over the summer.