William Brewer, age 58, appeared before Roy Percy, federal judge, on Friday. He is currently in the U.S. He is now in U.S. Marshals Service custody. The preliminary and detention hearings are scheduled for August 14th at 10 a.m. in Oxford’s federal courthouse. According to a U.S. Attorney’s Office news release, the arrest announcement was made by William Lamar (U.S. Attorney for Northern District of Mississippi) and Christopher Freeze (FBI). Brewer faces conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, extortion, and bribery in violation the Hobbs Act. Brewer could face 20 years imprisonment for each count and fines of $250,000-$1 million per count if convicted. Brad Daigneault was Brewer’s lawyer. He said to Mississippi Today that they didn’t have any comment at the moment. Stacie Rutland (executive director of the Mississippi Sheriffs’ Association) said that the association did not have any comment. According to Mississippi Today, a Tallahatchie County clerk said that they don’t know much beyond what they’ve heard through the grapevine. According to reports Brewer was in office for approximately 20 years and was first appointed when the former sheriff died. Brewer was then elected multiple times to the post. “I am shocked,” stated Rep. Tommy Reynolds (D-Charleston), who is also the Tallahatchie Board of Supervisors’ attorney. “We’ll just have to look at what’s there. It’s hard to comprehend.”