An Atmore man was arrested on numerous felony charges after city narcotics officers armed with a search warrant turned up illegal drugs inside his home, which is located across the street from a local elementary school, on Friday (April 14).
Dante Maurice Haynes, 38, lives in the 500 block of Fourth Avenue, in a house that faces the back of A.C. Moore Elementary School’s campus. He was taken into custody without incident as a result of the drug raid.
“Narcotics sales will not be tolerated in Atmore, especially near and around school grounds,” Atmore Police Chief Chuck Brooks said Tuesday morning. “After we conducted an investigation, we turned up enough probable cause to get and execute a search warrant.”
Police confiscated a plastic bag filled with an undisclosed quantity of what is believed to be powdered cocaine, along with half a “cookie” of suspected crack cocaine. Both substances field-tested positive for the respective illicit substances, Brooks said.
Haynes, who reportedly has a record of prior arrests for drug crimes, was charged with one count each of distribution of a controlled substance, unlawful possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance, conducting a narcotics sale near a school campus and possession of drug paraphernalia.
The suspect was processed into the Escambia County Detention Center, where an employee of the jail’s booking and release division reported Tuesday that he remained, under total bonds of $150,000.
Brooks urged citizens to report any knowledge or suspicions they might have of illegal drug activity.
“If you suspect drug activity in your community, please do not hesitate to call and report this activity to the Atmore Drug Task Force, where all calls will be confidential,” the chief said. “Messages may be left by calling 251-368-8988.”