Male claiming to be an Agent with the East Mississippi Drug Task Force in Lauderdale County.

At approximately 11:15 AM on Tuesday, December 2, 2025, the Kemper County Sheriff’s Office received a phone call from a male claiming to be an Agent with the East Mississippi Drug Task Force in Lauderdale County. The caller identified himself as “Agent Tyler Eakes” and stated he wished to speak with someone regarding alleged drug activity in the area.

Recognizing that the name did not match any known agents with the task force, the individual was asked to come to the Sheriff’s Office for further discussion. At approximately 12:15 PM, the individual arrived and was greeted by a narcotics investigator.

The man introduced himself as an undercover agent and claimed to have information of interest. When asked to present his credentials, he produced a wallet containing no law enforcement identification. His true identity was determined to be Dale Eakes, who is not a sworn law enforcement officer. Eakes was taken into custody without incident and charged with Impersonation of a Law Enforcement Officer.

During an interview, Eakes claimed he had been working as a law enforcement officer in several surrounding counties. These claims were found to be entirely false.

At approximately 3:45 PM on Tuesday, December 2, 2025, Eakes appeared before a Kemper County Justice Court Judge for his initial appearance, where he was issued a $50,000 bond for one count of Impersonation of a Law Enforcement Officer.

Kemper County Sheriff’s Office will not tolerate anyone “playing cop” for attention or convenience. Real law enforcement earn their place through training, discipline, and service—not tall tales and empty wallets. If you want the badge, apply for it. If you pretend to have it, we’ll handle that to.

The Kemper County Sheriff’s Office added this note.

We understand that many in our community are expressing concern about the mental well-being of the individual involved. The Kemper County Sheriff’s Office takes those concerns seriously.

However, it is important for the public to understand the following:

• The Sheriff’s Office cannot diagnose, label, or determine mental-health conditions. That authority rests strictly with medical professionals.

• We cannot order a mental evaluation simply because a crime has been committed or because behavior appears unusual. Mississippi law requires a judicial process before any such evaluation can occur.

• What we can do is document concerning behavior, report it, and ensure that all relevant observations are included in our case file and made available to prosecutors and the court.

This ensures that mental-health considerations can be reviewed by the proper authorities who do have the legal authority to mandate an evaluation.

• Just because an individual commits a crime does not mean they are excluded from receiving mental-health consideration. If signs of a mental-health issue exist, those concerns can be addressed during prosecution or court proceedings, where a judge can order evaluation or treatment if deemed necessary.

When concerning behavior is present, we take every step required to ensure that information is recorded and brought before the appropriate authorities, but we cannot bypass the legal process or unilaterally order mental-health action.