A Natchez man was arrested on Sunday morning after he reportedly went to a church asking for prayers in possession of a firearm and illegal narcotics according to Natchitoches Parish Sheriff Stuart Wright.

 

NPSO Patrol Operations Bureau deputies responded to reports of a suspicious man at a church in Natchez on Aug. 6 around 10:56 am. Deputies arrived on the scene, meeting an off-duty detective. The detective pointed out the man and briefed deputies on his suspicious behavior.

 

Deputies made contact identifying the person as Marquell D. Buckner, 31 of Natchez, who also reportedly had ties to Robeline and Houston areas. Buckner stated he’d done some bad things and wanted the church to pray for him. He also stated that he had a gun and drugs in a bag that he placed on the hood of the off-duty detective’s unit.

 

Deputies searched the bag, discovering a Masterpiece Arms 9mm semi-automatic pistol commonly referred to as a “Mac 10” with an extended loaded magazine, a bag of suspected marijuana and another bag containing suspected ecstasy pills.

 

Deputies learned Buckner brought the bag containing the firearm and illegal narcotics inside the church during services before exiting and placing it on the detective’s hood.

 

Buckner was placed under arrest without incident.

 

As a result:

 

Marquell D. Buckner, 31, of Natchez was transported and booked into the Natchitoches Parish Detention Center charged with Possession of CDS I Marijuana, Illegal Possession of CDS Schedule I Ecstasy approximately 8 grams, and Illegal Possession of a Firearm during a Narcotics Offense.

 

Buckner remains in the Natchitoches Detention Center awaiting bond.

 

The seized evidence will be submitted to the crime lab for analysis.

 

Sheriff Stuart Wright said he learned while speaking to deputies that Buckner gave them limited information after his arrest, however, we are pleased that this call for service ended peacefully with an arrest and potentially dangerous firearm taken off the streets.”

 

Sgt. T. Baptiste, Detective D. Sowell, Lt. M. Robertson and Deputy D. Young were involved in the arrest.