Felon in Possession of Firearm

On November 04, 2025, at approximately 3:00 pm, Deputies with the Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Department responded to a disturbance call in at the 8800 block of Whippoorwill Road. Once on scene, Deputies encountered a Billy Ray Ethridge Jr. Upon further investigation, Deputies discovered that Mr. Ethridge had trespassed on an individual’s land and discharged a weapon multiple times, destroying personal property. During the investigation, Deputies discovered that Mr. Ethridge was a convicted felon and found him to be in possession of firearms. The East Mississippi Drug Task Force took over the investigation and charged Mr. Ethridge with a Felon in Possession of Firearm(s). Mr. Ethridge’s bond is $100,000. Mr. Ethridge is currently out on parole. This case will be presented to the next available grand jury