Jackson County deputies arrest convicted felon on drug charges | Crime

The Jackson County Sheriff's Department arrested David Thomas Backstrom, 35, of Ocean Springs for drug related charges on Wednesday.

Jackson County Sheriff Mike Byrd said, Backstrom was sitting in a vehicle on Old Stage Road near the Oaks convenience store in Franklin Creek.

The deputy told narcotics agents that Backstrom appeared intoxicated. When agents arrived they found he had two weapons, small amounts of crack cocaine, a lortab and a undisclosed amount of cash, Byrd said.

He was charged with possession of methadone and possession of hydromorphone.

Backstrom was convicted of manslaughter by culpable negligence on December 9, 1996 for the October 17, 1995 slaying of Tylen Jacob Brunty. The Jackson Couny Sheriff's Department said Backstrom was driving a boat under the influence. That boat wrecked causing Brunty’s death. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison. He served five years in prison on the manslaughter conviction.

Backstrom was first arrested on misdemeanor driving under the influence on October 1, 1995. He was arrested for a second misdemeanor driving under the influence charge on December 6, 1996. In 2002, he was convicted of his third driving under the influence offense, which was a felony. He was arrested and charged in March 2012 with misdemeanor careless driving and driving with a suspended license.

He remains at the Jackson County Adult Detention Center pending extradition to Escambia County, FL. He was free on $25,000 bail for a driving with a suspended license charge and reportedly failed to appear in court.

If convicted, Backstrom faces up to eight years in prison on each charge equaling a total of 16 years. Backstrom also faces up to a $50,000 fine on each charge with the total being $100,000.