Mississippi Chapter
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Leadership
Johnathon Bigham
LEDA Mississippi State Chapter President
Johnathon Bigham serves as the President of the LEDA Mississippi State Chapter, bringing over two decades of law enforcement experience, leadership, and specialized training to the role. He is a dedicated member of the DeSoto County Sheriff's Office in Northern Mississippi, where he has proudly served since 2005.
Johnathon began his career as a correctional officer before graduating from the law enforcement academy and joining the Patrol Division. After two years on patrol, he transitioned to the Traffic Division as a DUI Enforcement Deputy. There, he oversaw grant management for a multi-position DUI enforcement program and remained in that unit for 12 years, developing strong operational and administrative expertise.
In 2016, Johnathon was introduced to drone operations through a grant-funded Phantom 4 aircraft, sparking a long-term interest and investment in unmanned aerial systems (UAS). He has since become the lead administrator, pilot, and trainer for his agency's drone program.
In 2020, Johnathon took on the role of Search and Rescue Director, where he expanded his skill set through extensive technical training. His certifications include Swiftwater & Advanced Swiftwater Rescue, Open Water & Advanced Diver, Full Face Mask & Dry Suit Certification, ERDI I (Emergency Response Diving International), Water Safety Instructor & Lifeguard Instructor, NASAR Man Tracking, Basic Life Support (BLS) CPR Instructor, Standardized Field Sobriety Test (SFST) Instructor, and Part 107 Test Prep Instructor.
Josh Ford
LEDA Mississippi State Chapter Vice President
Josh Ford has been in law enforcement since 2021. Prior to his law enforcement career, he served in the United States Army as an AH-64D Maintainer and then worked as a social worker until 2021. In 2021, he began his career in law enforcement serving with the Tennessee Department of Corrections as a Probation and Parole Officer.
In 2023, he and his family relocated to Mississippi where he joined the Olive Branch Police Department (OBPD). He graduated from the Mississippi Law Enforcement Officers Training Academy in 2023. He has served in the patrol division and was recently advanced to the rank of Detective.
With his love and interest in aviation and technology, he obtained his Part 107 license in 2024. He became one of the founding members of OBPD's Unmanned Aircraft Systems Team. Detective Ford is currently the primary pilot for the department.
Detective Ford serves as the Vice President of the LEDA Mississippi State Chapter. The goal of this chapter is to be a resource to other agencies throughout the state, provide training in the standards set by LEDA National organization, and help create a standard in sUAS operations throughout the state of Mississippi.
Jacob Sinowetski
LEDA Mississippi State Chapter Secretary
Jacob "Ski" Sinowetski, was born and raised in DeSoto County, Mississippi. He graduated summa cum laude with research honors from the University of Memphis in 2018, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in Anthropology and Geoarchaeology. Later that year, Jacob began his career with the DeSoto County Sheriff's Office as a Deputy Jailer in the Adult Detention Facility. In 2020, he was accepted into Basic Class 263 at the Mississippi Law Enforcement Officers Training Academy, which was sponsored by the DeSoto County Sheriff's Office. After successfully graduating, he completed the agency's Field Training Program and subsequently served as a night shift Uniform Patrol Deputy, focusing particularly on DUI enforcement.
In 2021, Jacob joined the Sheriff's Office Drone Unit, where he was trained by Captain Johnathon Bigham. Since then, he has participated in hundreds of drone deployments for various purposes, including search and rescue missions, suspect pursuits, missing persons cases, welfare checks, crime scene geo-mapping, SWAT overwatch, and other critical incidents. Also in 2021, Jacob started serving as a part-time armorer for the Sheriff's Office. He holds certifications from Sig Sauer, Colt, Glock, and Sons of Liberty Gun Works.
In 2022, he began assisting Captain Bigham in teaching the Sheriff's Office's FAA Part 107 drone test prep course, a free program that has trained hundreds of public safety pilots across Mississippi. In 2024, Jacob transitioned to day shift patrol and became a certified Field Training Officer. That same year, he was selected as a part-time firearms instructor after completing the NRA Patrol Rifle Instructor School and earning his state firearms instructor certification. In 2025, he further expanded his qualifications by attending the prestigious FBI Firearms Instructor School.
Marcus Sutton
LEDA Mississippi State Chapter Treasurer
Marcus Sutton has been a law enforcement officer since 2020 and is currently a Sergeant in the Hernando Police Department Criminal Investigations Division. Prior to his law enforcement career, he worked in heavy civil construction and in industrial control and automation.
In 2020, he began his law enforcement career at the Panola County Sheriff's Office in Batesville, MS, where he was a Deputy, until leaving in 2022. He then began working at the Hernando Police Department in Hernando, Mississippi, where he started as a patrol officer, then a traffic officer, and now a detective. During his time at the Hernando Police Department, he obtained his FAA Part 107 license and helped to establish the department's drone program from scratch, including writing the policies and procedures for the program.
Sergeant Sutton is currently the drone program manager for the department. Sergeant Sutton also has an interest in Information Technology, specifically networking and cybersecurity, and is a network administrator for the department. He is also a State of Mississippi certified Law Enforcement Instructor, and a Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) certified Use of Force instructor. He also is a grant administrator for the department.
Sergeant Sutton serves as the treasurer of the LEDA Mississippi State Chapter. The goal of this chapter is to be a resource to other agencies throughout the state, provide training in the standards set by LEDA National organization, and help create a standard in sUAS operations throughout the state of Mississippi.