Carolina man charged with rape, sodomy at local motel
By DON FLETCHER
News Staff Writer
The following felony arrests were reported by Atmore Police Department (APD) officers during the period November 2-12:
Omar Teran-Pena
A North Carolina man was arrested November 11 on rape and sodomy charges after police responded to a local motel, where an individual reported the sexual assault.
According to police reports, 48-year-old Omar Teran-Pena of Red Springs, N.C. was taken into custody at or near Southland Motel on East Nashville Avenue. Police were able to locate Pena during their investigation, and he was charged with one count each of first-degree rape and first-degree sodomy.
Under Alabama law, first-degree rape occurs when a person engages in sexual intercourse with another person by forcible compulsion; first-degree sodomy occurs when a person engages in deviate sexual intercourse with another person by forcible compulsion.
Both charges are Class A felonies, punishable upon conviction by 10-99 years in prison.
Teran-Pena remained in the Escambia County Detention Center (ECDC) early Monday, November 18.
Henry Hadley
A Baldwin County man was arrested November 12 on felony drug possession charges and endangering the welfare of two children after he was located and pulled over for leaving the scene of an accident.
Police reports show that officers were dispatched to a site along U.S. 31 around 7:50 a.m. after dispatchers relayed a report that a vehicle involved in a traffic accident had fled from the scene. The 911 caller provided a description of the vehicle, and officers were able to locate the vehicle on Harris Street.
Police said the driver, later identified as Henry Hadley, 25, of Little River, refused to pull over but was stopped at an intersection when an officer was able to block his vehicle in.
Hadley had outstanding felony warrants for his arrest through the county sheriff’s office, and a search of his vehicle led to the discovery of an unspecified quantity of synthetic cannabis, a small amount of marijuana, and items used to ingest narcotics. Also discovered were two small children, each under the age of 4 years old, in the back seat.
Hadley was charged with one count of unlawful possession of a controlled substance (synthetic cannabis), a Class C felony. He was also charged with five misdemeanors: endangering the welfare of a child; possession of drug paraphernalia; attempting to elude a police officer; second-degree possession of marijuana and leaving the scene of an accident.
ECDC records show that Hadley — who remained in the ECDC early Monday, November 18 —was also on probation and was charged with probation violation.
William Kelson
A Mobile man was arrested on numerous charges, including felony drug possession, after employees of the Dollar General store on South Main Street reported that two customers were possibly shoplifting.
Police responded around 12:45 p.m. and contacted 52-year-old William Kelson as he was leaving the store. Kelson at first provided a false name and date of birth, but police soon found out his name and other information, including that he was the subject of a Baldwin County arrest warrant for a violation of the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).
When Kelson was searched, officers discovered more than a dozen prescription Naproxen (Naprosyn) pills, a small amount of crack cocaine, and items that are used to ingest narcotics.
Kelson was charged with one count each of possession of a controlled substance and possession of a prescription medication without a prescription, both Class C felonies. He was also charged with one count each of obstruction of justice using false identity, and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Kelson remained in the ECDC early Monday, November 18.
William High
City police arrested a Georgia man November 3 on a felony drug possession charge after his vehicle was stopped by police because it had faulty lighting.
The traffic stop happened around 6:35 p.m. on Alabama 21. When the officer went to talk with the driver, 50-year-old William High of Barnesville, he “detected a strong odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle.”
A probable-cause search of the vehicle was conducted, yielding a small amount of marijuana, several Alprazolam pills, and items used to ingest narcotics. Alprazolam is the active ingredient in Xanax.
High was booked into the ECDC on charges of possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, and second-degree possession of marijuana. A check of the county jail’s website shows he has been released.
Joel Howell
A Flomaton man was arrested November 2 on felony drug charges, also after he was pulled over for operating a vehicle with faulty lights.
The pullover was conducted around 9:55 p.m. on South Main Street. The reporting officer noted that the driver — Joel Howell, 59 — was “acting in a suspicious manner,” and a K9 unit was summoned to the scene. The dog “alerted” on the vehicle, prompting a probable-cause search.
The search turned up more than 12 grams of a substance that field-tested positive for cocaine, along with an unspecified quantity of fentanyl pills, a small amount of marijuana, and “items used for the storage and use of narcotics.”
Howell was charged with one count each of possession of a controlled substance, possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, second-degree possession of marijuana, and possession of drug paraphernalia.
He has since been released from jail.
Dana Windus
A Mobile woman was arrested November 4 on a felony drug possession charge after her vehicle was pulled over for having an expired tag.
The traffic stop occurred around 3:40 p.m., on East Nashville Avenue. The officer noted that the driver — later identified as Dana Windus, 46 — “was acting strangely.” A K-9 unit responded, the dog “alerted” on the vehicle, and a probable cause search was conducted.
The search yielded a small amount of a substance that field-tested positive for methamphetamine, as well as “other items that are used to ingest narcotics.”
Windus was booked into the county jail on charges of possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia. She has since been released.
Tywon Dixon
A 30-year-old Atmore man was arrested November 9 on a felony drug possession charge after his vehicle was stopped because it had faulty lighting.
The pullover happened around 7:45 p.m. on Martin Luther King Drive. During the officer’s interaction with the driver, Tywon Dixon, the officer “noted a strong odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle.”
A probable-cause search of the vehicle turned up more than six-dozen grams of marijuana, as well as “other items that are used in the storage of narcotics.”
Dixon was processed into the ECDC on one count each of first-degree possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia. He has since been released from jail.
Juwan McNeil
Ladale Pettway
Two Atmore men — the driver of a vehicle pulled over for an unspecified traffic violation and his passenger who was sought by Florida authorities — were arrested November 4 after pot, pills and paraphernalia were found in the vehicle.
The vehicle was blue-lighted around 6:50 p.m. as it traveled along Harris Street. The driver, later identified as Juwan McNeil, age 25, of Atmore, refused to stop the vehicle until additional officers arrived and blocked the road.
After detaining McNeil and his passenger, 25-year-old Ladale Pettway, officers discovered more than a dozen grams of marijuana, an unspecified quantity of Percocet pills, and a digital scale.
McNeil was arrested and charged with one count each of first-degree possession of marijuana, possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, and attempting to elude a police officer. He is no longer listed as a “current inmate” on the county jail website.
Pettway was arrested on an outstanding felony assault warrant obtained by the Escambia County (Fla.) Sheriff’s Office. He was charged here with being a fugitive from justice and has reportedly been extradited to Florida.