JACKSON, Miss. (AP) - A northern Mississippi sheriff has been arrested on a dozen felony charges, including embezzlement and evidence tampering, just weeks after saying he would resign in January because of health reasons.

The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation says in a news release Wednesday that 53-year-old Webster County Sheriff Timothy Seth Mitchell, of Eupora, has been arrested and was awaiting a court appearance. It was not immediately clear whether Mitchell is represented by an attorney.

The second-term sheriff is charged with two counts each of embezzlement, trafficking in stolen firearms and furnishing an inmate with weapons and other contraband. He is also charged with one count each of attempting sex with an inmate, tampering with evidence and permitting the sale of a controlled substance in jail; and three counts of retaliation against a witness.