APD recaptures escapee, arrests 4 on felony drug charges
By DON FLETCHER
News Staff Writer
An Atmore Police Department (APD) narcotics agent and members of APD’s Special Response Team (SRT) executed a search warrant last Wednesday, April 9, at a residence along U.S. 31, taking an escapee into custody and charging him and three others in the residence with felony drug possession and/or weapons charges.
According to police reports, the raid took place around 8:46 a.m. Matthew McGhee, 35, of Atmore, was arrested on an outstanding warrant obtained by the county sheriff’s office for first-degree escape. He was also wanted for several criminal charges he accumulated after being placed into community corrections due to other charges, police said.
The SRT members, armed with a search warrant for McGhee, forced entry after knocking and identifying themselves but getting no answer. Once inside, where there were three other people, the narcotics cop spotted various illegal substances in plain view.
A second search warrant was obtained, and police discovered several dozen grams of marijuana, several grams of methamphetamine, hydrocodone pills and other substances that couldn’t be identified. Those substances have been sent to the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences crime lab for testing and identification.
The search also turned up a firearm and numerous items that are used to ingest narcotics, police said.
McGhee is charged with one count each of first-degree escape, possession of a controlled substance, first-degree possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Also arrested, along with the charges against each, were:
*Brian Ledkins, 43, of Flomaton – one count each of possession of a controlled substance, first-degree possession of marijuana, being a certain person forbidden to possess a firearm, and possession of drug paraphernalia.
*Nina Simmons, 38, of McDavid, Fla. – two counts of possession of a controlled substance; one count each of first-degree possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.
*Raven Hightower, 24, of Flomaton – one count each of first-degree possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.
All four were processed into the Escambia County Detention Center. Jail records show that McGhee and Hightower remained in the facility Monday morning, April 14. Simmons was released the day after her arrest, and Ledkins was released late last week.