Fugitive lives in ex-sheriff?s vacant house

A wanted fugitive picked the wrong place to lie low after he was found taking refuge in a rent house owned by a former sheriff.

The suspect, Jeff C. Grissom, 25, faces charges of aggravated criminal trespass, simple possession of cocaine, and violation of probation.

His charges come after former Sheriff Mason Black was contacted by neighbors who reported they saw a strange man hanging around a house he had used for rental purposes on Peers Street. The news was odd since no one was renting the house at the time, prompting the veteran lawman to pay a visit to the residence.

It was while he was checking out the home a woman pulled into the driveway claiming she was there to pick up a computer from someone who had lived there before. It was later determined the woman was the wife of Grissom.

Minutes later Black, who watched the house from nearby, saw Grissom wandering around outside the house. When approached, Grissom walked away and was observed getting into a vehicle which Black followed for a short distance.

When police arrived at the house to investigate the strange occurrence, they were given consent by Black to search inside the house. During the search officers found evidence Grissom had taken up residence inside the unoccupied house, finding his identification, mail and personal pictures. Also found among the items was a small container of a substance believed to be cocaine. Grissom was arrested a short time later, with police suspecting he was trying to lie low at the house seeing he was wanted for violation of probation.

Grissom was bound to the grand jury on the charges Tuesday.