Ounce-plus of Ecstasy leads to drug trafficking charge
By DON FLETCHER
News Staff Writer
An expired tag on his vehicle led to the arrest of a Walnut Hill, Fla. man on three felony drug charges, including trafficking in Ecstasy.
Atmore Police Department reports show that a patrol officer conducted a traffic stop around 5 p.m. on February 16 when he spotted the vehicle displaying an expired tag.
The officer was able to determine that the driver, 51-year-old Anthony Thames, was the subject of seven active misdemeanor arrest warrants obtained by APD.
After Thames reportedly gave his consent to a search of his vehicle, officers discovered a handgun that had been reported stolen in Daphne, along with 45 grams of Ecstasy, 4.8 grams of a green, leafy substance that field-tested positive for marijuana, a gram of a white, granular substance that field-tested positive for crack cocaine, a digital scale, and other items typically used to ingest narcotics.
Thames was booked into the Escambia County Detention Center (ECDC) on one count each of drug trafficking (Ecstasy), possession of a controlled substance (crack cocaine), first-degree possession of marijuana (prior second-degree conviction), second-degree receiving stolen property and possession of drug paraphernalia.
ECDC’s website showed Thames remained in the facility early Tuesday, February 27.
Sam Payne
City police arrested Sam Payne, 32, after an investigation of several months led to his identification as one of three individuals who reportedly damaged three vehicles at the residence of a person he had been stalking.
Investigators say the three acts of vandalism occurred between September 28, 2023 and November 3, 2023. They were eventually able to locate witnesses and view home surveillance camera footage that proved Payne’s presence at the scene when the vehicles were damaged.
Payne was arrested and processed into the ECDC on three counts each of second-degree aggravated stalking, violation of a domestic violence protection order, and third-degree criminal mischief.
He was released on bond from the county jail February 20.
Holli Brianna Luker
Holli Brianna Luker was arrested February 16 on a felony drug possession charge that stemmed from a traffic stop conducted last summer by city police.
Police reports show the traffic stop occurred August 15, 2023 and that Luker was in possession of an unspecified quantity of methamphetamine.
A warrant was eventually obtained, and the Atmore woman reportedly surrendered to ECDC staff. She was released on bond February 20 after having been held on one count each of possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.