A stolen commercial dump trailer has been successfully recovered, and the suspect is in custody following a multi-agency investigation that spanned several states. On Oct. 19, Michael Beckham reported the theft of the trailer from a business in Philadelphia, Miss. Over the following week, deputies from the Neshoba County Sheriff’s Office canvassed nearby businesses to gather surveillance footage. The footage revealed the suspect’s truck and trailer traveling through Philadelphia toward Highway 16 East before leaving Neshoba County.
Using Flock License Plate Reader cameras, deputies identified the vehicle with an Alabama license plate. However, further investigation revealed the plate had been swapped and did not belong to the truck. The vehicle was later tracked to the Golden Moon Casino, where it remained for several days. Collaborating with Pearl River Resort Security and the Choctaw Police Department, deputies identified the suspect as Charles Ryan Hopper of Gardendale, Ala., and a warrant was issued for his arrest.
On Oct. 30, Sheriff Eric Clark and a deputy traveled to Gardendale, Ala., to work with Detective Buddy Partridge of the Gardendale Police Department in locating Hopper and the stolen trailer. Gardendale Police made contact with Hopper, who admitted to taking the trailer but initially refused to disclose its location. Hopper was taken into custody and transported to the Neshoba County Detention Center, where he was charged with grand larceny…