SIMPSON COUNTY, Miss. (WJTV) – The Simpson County Sheriff’s Office was named the winner of three local Christmas parade contests thanks to the artistic talents of a Mississippi Department of Corrections (MDOC) inmate.

Brian Dolan is a MDOC inmate who is serving 43 years for mostly drug charges and is assigned to the Joint State County Work Program in Simpson County. There, he used his talents to create an 8-by-6-foot painted model of the county’s century-old courthouse down to its windowpanes and bricks.

Dolan’s creation helped the department win first place for parades in Mendenhall, Magee and D’Lo with the theme of “Hometown Christmas,” which was used on the sheriff’s float.

Dolan shared that the wins mean a lot to him as an affirmation of his skills that have improved his life.

“I was pretty proud when it was all done. I loved seeing the reactions from people who saw it. I get to use my skills and talents as a rehabilitative tool. It has given me motivation and skillsets that I can carry to a job. That is really what matters,” he said.