CMU board member arrested for allegedly stealing parts at Nissan plant, Canton mayor confirms

MADISON CO., Miss. (WLBT) - Three people have been arrested in connection with stealing parts from the Nissan Plant, including a member of the Canton Municipal Utilities Board of Commissioners.

Glenn White, Kendrick Ratliff and Kelvish Nason were arrested and charged with grand larceny and felony fleeing after Madison County deputies say they attempted to stop their vehicle during a pursuit.

Nason is a member of the Canton Municipal Utilities Board of Commissioners, Canton Mayor William Truly confirmed Monday.

“He was appointed by the board of aldermen in 2017 or 18,” Truly said. Truly vetoed his appointment, but the veto was overridden.

“I had other members I was interested [in appointing over] Mr. Nason,” he said.

CMU is the agency that provides water, sewer for Canton residents. It also provides electricity for many homes and businesses in the city, Truly explained.

Mississippi state statute 21-27-15 states that governing authorities of municipalities can remove “any member of said commission for inefficiency or incompetency or any other cause.”

Truly expects the issue to be discussed at Tuesday’s board meeting and believes aldermen will likely hold off on making any decisions, citing the fact Nason is innocent until proven guilty.

At approximately 8:47 p.m. on Saturday, Madison County deputies responding to the scene spotted the suspect vehicle and attempted to stop it when the suspects drove away, said county spokesman Heath Hall.

The pursuit continued on U.S. 51 north of the Links apartments, when the suspects finally were stopped, Hall said.

No further details of the incident were available. It was not known what kind of parts were allegedly being stolen or exactly where at the plant or on the plant property they were being stolen.

As of Monday morning, White and Ratliff had been released from the Madison County Detention Center. Nason was still being held. It was not known what bond had been set.

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