By DON FLETCHER
News Staff Writer
An Atmore man was taken into custody April 17 by Escambia County Sheriff’s Office deputies after he failed to appear in court to answer a felony burglary charge.
Not all details were immediately available, but the Escambia County Detention Center website shows Eric Depaul Mitchell, 44, was arrested after he was a no-show in circuit court, where he faced charges of first-degree burglary and third-degree assault.
First-degree burglary is a Class A felony: third-degree assault is a Class A misdemeanor.
According to Alabama Criminal Code, a person commits the crime of first-degree burglary when he or she knowingly and unlawfully enters or unlawfully remains in a dwelling with intent to commit a crime and (a) is armed with explosives, (b) causes physical injury to any person who is not a participant in the crime; or (c) is armed with a deadly weapon or dangerous instrument or, while in the dwelling or immediate flight from the dwelling, uses or threatens the immediate use of a deadly weapon or dangerous instrument against another person.
Conviction on such a charge could result in a prison sentence of at least 10 years and up to 99 years or life.
Mitchell has been booked into the county jail seven times since 2009, on charges ranging from felony marijuana possession to non-support, failure to appear and probation violation. An employee of the county jail’s booking and release division said he was released April 19 after he posted a $554 bond.