MADISON COUNTY, Miss. (WJTV) — A Canton man was convicted of directing drug sales from a Madison County jail.

Lucas Howard was found guilty by a Madison County jury of possession with intent to distribute cocaine and conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine.

District Attorney Bubba Bramlett said Madison County deputies began monitoring Howard’s outgoing jail phone calls in October 2019. The calls revealed that he was continuing a drug enterprise through his girlfriend, Alissa Washington. He was directing her to buy drugs in Jackson and bring them to his home in Canton to be sold.

He said officers caught Washington bringing 26 grams of cocaine back from Jackson during a traffic stop on November 2, 2019.

At the time, Howard was in jail for other drug-related charges.