PASTOR WON'T GIVE NAME IN DRUG CASE

A Hattiesburg minister says a decision to help one of his church members
has him in hot water with drug enforcement authorities.

The Rev. Kenneth Fairley said he will not violate the sanctity of the
ministry by providing agents with the name of a woman who gave him a
60-pound bag of marijuana.

Fairley, pastor of Mount Carmel Baptist Church, said the incident occurred
in February when the woman came to him for advice about what to do with the
marijuana she had found in her house.

Fairley said he called Hattiesburg Police Chief David Wynn.

The minister said several days later two men with the federal Drug
Enforcement Administration came to the church wanting the name of the woman.

Ed Dickey, agent in charge of the Gulfport office of the DEA, said
Wednesday that the minister was questioned because "it is the DEA's job to
investigate" cases involving large amounts of drugs.