Patrick Coleman,Shawn Oakley, convicted felon in possession of a firearm

Patrick Coleman, 30, and Shawn Oakley, 32, were charged Friday with possession of heroin, a schedule I controlled substance, with intent to sell or deliver and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Coleman also faces charges related to being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, possession of a schedule II controlled substance (mepergan) with intent to sell or deliver and theft of a vehicle as well as charges from Memphis and Shelby County. Coleman is a fugitive from Shelby County and has several active warrants for his arrest there, according to a news release Monday from the Jackson-Madison County Metro Narcotics Unit.
Both men were arraigned in Jackson City Court and are being held in the Madison County Jail.
In Jackson, heroin "hasn't been real common, but it is a problem that we're starting to see on the rise," Michael said Monday.
Police have seen an increase in anonymous tips and open cases involving heroin in the past couple of months, he said.
Coleman's and Oakley's arrests were the result of a joint investigation between the Jackson Police Department Gang Unit and the Metro Narcotics Unit, the news release said.
Officers with the gang unit stopped the Chevrolet Tahoe that Coleman was driving Friday night near the intersection of Oil Well and Pleasant Plain roads. Police determined Coleman was a convicted felon and that the vehicle was stolen from Memphis, the release said.
Officers removed a .32 Beretta handgun from his pants pocket.
Oakley was a passenger in the Tahoe. A bag containing 23 "buttons" of heroin fell to the ground as Oakley stepped out of the vehicle, the news release said. A button is
considered to be one hit of heroin and sells for about $20 on the street, according to the release.
A gram of heroin costs about $200 and would be packaged in 30 to 40 buttons, the release said.
Police executed a search warrant at Coleman's residence. They found a small amount of heroin, heroin paraphernalia, a small amount of marijuana, 29 mepergan tablets and ammunition.
Police also seized four vehicles in connection with the investigation.
The two types of heroin typically found in Jackson are a light gray- or white-colored drug from the East Coast called "China White" and a light brown drug called "Mexican Brown." The first comes from the Middle East; the second from Mexico, Michael said.
The heroin found Friday night was China White, he said.
Heroin reaches Jackson through people being "transient," Michael said. In some cases, they may visit another area, try the drug there and bring it back to Jackson, he said.
Coleman is from Memphis but has been living in Jackson, Michael said

Posted in: Jackson