Moonshine operation discovered

A Neshoba County man faces charges after allegedly operating a moonshine still in the northwest part the county.

The man, Johnathan Reed Willis, 42, 11311 Road 397, was arrested and charged with felony possession of a distillery and possession of untaxed whiskey by Alcoholic Beverage Control, according to Neshoba County Sheriff Eric Clark.

Willis also faces charges of disturbance of a family, possession of paraphernalia and resisting arrest.

Clark said Willis was unruly when deputies made contact with him and that attempts to use a taser on him were ineffective.

“He was a handful,” Clark said. “They had quite a time with him.”

He said deputies were originally responding to a call reporting a domestic disturbance around 1 a.m. on May 15 at 11311 Road 397 off of Highway 19 north.

As deputies arrived on the scene they made contact with Willis, who was brought into custody after a struggle. 

The still was discovered in an outbuilding on the property along with 25 gallons of mash. Clark said deputies then called ABC which confiscated the still.