POntotoc, Miss. — A 21-year-old man was sentenced to 45 years in prison after pleading guilty to multiple charges, including manslaughter, assault on a police officer, and witness intimidation, in Pontotoc County Circuit Court.
Dalton Keith Wages entered his pleas on June 17, 2026, and the sentencing took place on June 23, 2026. Circuit Court Judge John R. White imposed the sentence, which will be served through the Mississippi Department of Corrections.
The manslaughter charge relates to the shooting death of Matthew Tyson Westmoreland on September 17, 2022, in Pontotoc County. The case was investigated by the Pontotoc County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant District Attorneys Paul Gault and Sidra Winter prosecuted the case on behalf of the state. District Attorney Jason D. Herring of the First Circuit Court District announced the sentence.
