KEMPER COUNTY, Miss. (WTOK) – On Tuesday evening, the Kemper County Sheriff’s Office got a call from a man who said he was an agent with the East Mississippi Drug Task Force in Lauderdale County. The individual introduced himself as Agent Tyler Eakes and mentioned he wanted to talk to someone about suspected drug-related activities in the region.
The Sheriff’s Department stated that the name “Tyler Eakes” did not correspond to any recognized agents within the task force, leading to the person being requested to visit the Sheriff’s Office for additional conversation.
The man arrived just after noon on Tuesday and introduced himself as an undercover agent, stating he had information that could be of interest. When asked to show his credentials, he produced a wallet that did not contain any official law enforcement identification. It was later determined that his real name was Dale Eakes, who is not a sworn law enforcement officer. Eakes was arrested without any issues and charged with pretending to be a law enforcement officer.
The Sheriff’s Department stated in an interview that Eakes said he had been serving as a law enforcement officer in multiple nearby counties—but those statements were later proven to be untrue.
Around 3:45 PM on Tuesday, Eakes appeared before a Kemper County Justice Court Judge for his first court appearance, during which he was given a $50,000 bond on a single charge of impersonating a police officer.
In a statement, the Kemper County Sheriff’s Office stated, “It will not allow anyone to act as a cop for attention or ease. Genuine deputies earn their badges through dedication, extended hours, and thorough training—not by fabricating tales and displaying an empty wallet. If someone wishes to wear the uniform, the process is straightforward: apply, meet the requirements, and put in the effort. Falsely pretending to be an officer isn’t smart—it’s illegal. And in Kemper County, such issues will be addressed appropriately.”
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