Local man caught with stolen handgun, pills, pot
By DON FLETCHER
News Staff Writer
An Atmore man was arrested September 11 on felony drug and weapons charges after city police stopped his vehicle due to an unspecified equipment violation. Atmore Police Department reports show the traffic stop was conducted around 6:50 p.m., on Jack Springs Road. While talking with the driver, 20-year-old Jaylen North, the officer detected a strong odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle.
Officers conducted a probable cause search that turned up a handgun beneath the driver’s seat, that had been reported stolen, along with an unspecified quantity of hydrocodone pills and approximately two grams of a green, leafy substance that field-tested positive for marijuana.
North, who was out on bond from a first-degree marijuana possession arrest, is now also charged with one count each of possession of a controlled substance, second-degree possession of marijuana, and second-degree receiving stolen property.
He remained in the county jail near midday Monday, September 18.
Other felony arrests of Atmore residents during the period September 10-15:
*Escambia County Sheriff’s Office (ECSO) deputies arrested David Michael Hamilton, 50, September 10, on felony and misdemeanor drug charges.
He remained in jail Monday, September 18, held on one count each of trafficking in a controlled substance (undisclosed), possession of a controlled substance (undisclosed), second-degree possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.
*An Atmore woman, 35-year-old Sherry Williams Rudolph was arrested September 10 by sheriff’s deputies on a charge of possession of a controlled substance.
Rudolph was released from jail September 11 on bond.
*Jason Erick Countryman, 39, was arrested September 15 by sheriff’s deputies on felony and misdemeanor drug charges.
Countryman, who remained behind bars Monday, September 18, is charged with one count each of possession of a controlled substance, second-degree possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was also charged with failure to appear in court.