Oktibbeha County deputies charged two suspects alleged in an ongoing Clay County arson investigation with similar felonies in the last two weeks.
Deputies arrested Jason Williams, 46, of 1960 Douglastown Road, Maben, on Aug. 21 and Barry Tuck, 54, of 216 Center Grove Road, Maben, on Aug. 24. They charged both men with arson and burglary of a commercial dwelling.
Oktibbeha County Sheriff’s Department Lt. Brett Watson said Williams and Tuck were implicated in a fire and burglary at the APAC plant.
Another man implicated in a Golden Triangle arson investigation, 54-year-old Michael Tribble, was also charged with receiving stolen property, possession of a controlled substance and two counts of grand larceny.
Tribble, of 433 Tribble Road, Cedar Bluff, was charged after OCSD deputies arrived at his residence to serve warrants from Clay County and found evidence of other alleged crimes, Watson said.
Deputies also arrested Chad Tharp, 43, of 3529 County Line Road, Maben, and charged him with burglary of an automobile. Watson said Tharp is connected with the arson suspects but has not been charged with arson himself.
This is one of three arson cases Williams has been attached to in the last two weeks. He is currently in custody at the Clay County Jail in connection with two arsons there.
In one of those cases, Williams was allegedly hired by Tribble to set fire to property Tribble was renting to tenants, said Clay County Sheriff Eddie Scott.
No one was injured in the May 6 fire, but the tenants’ belongings were destroyed, Scott said.
Clay County Sheriff’s Office arrested both Williams and Tribble Aug. 18 on arson charges.
Tribble was not implicated in the APAC incident. Tuck was not implicated in any arsons in Clay County.
Both Williams and Tuck have other charges unrelated to the alleged arson, Watson said.
Watson expects OCSD to make more arrests involving the APAC arson and other arson cases around the Golden Triangle area.
OCSD is conducting investigations into the arson in conjunction with other local, state and federal authorities, according to an OCSD press release.
Anyone with information is asked to contact their local law enforcement or Golden Triangle Crime Stoppers at 1-800-530-7151.
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