By DON FLETCHER
News Staff Writer
The following felony arrests were reported by officers of the Atmore Police Department (APD) during the period May 2-10:
Katrinka Phillips
Phillips, who worked as a mortgage loan originator at Gulf Winds Credit Union in Atmore, was allowed to surrender to authorities on May 6 after an investigation revealed that she had siphoned several thousands of dollars from the account or accounts of an unidentified civic organization.
According to an APD press release, city detectives met May 2 with officials of “a local financial institution and a local community organization in reference to a theft that occurred over an extended period of time.”
The investigator and a fraud examiner examined financial records, and an arrest warrant was issued charging Phillips with first-degree theft of property.
Sgt. Darrell McMann said police had been asked to be as discreet as possible in announcing the charges against the former loan officer.
“Everyone involved with the Phillips incident requested as vague a release as I could manage,” he said.
Published reports show the Atmore woman often presented seminars to individuals or groups who were looking into financing homes or other real estate. The primary function of such an employee is to guide borrowers through the mortgage application process and to work directly with borrowers and realtors to help process loan applications and secure mortgage financing.
Ronald Isaac
The Mobile man, 19, and a juvenile, were arrested Saturday, May 10, after they burglarized at least five vehicles here in an attempt to steal the vehicles, not the items inside them.
Police dispatchers received several calls Friday night and Saturday morning from residents who told them someone had broken into their respective vehicles. Officers on routine patrol later spotted the suspects, who ran but were captured in a matter of minutes.
According to police, the suspects were responsible for five vehicle burglaries.
“They came here from Mobile, in a stolen car, and broke into five vehicles while they were here,” Police Chief Chuck Brooks said. “They weren’t looking to steal what was in the cars; they were looking to steal the cars themselves.”
Isaac remained in the Escambia County Detention Center (ECDC) Monday afternoon, charged with four counts of first-degree attempted theft of property, along with first-degree theft of property, first-degree receiving stolen property, possession of burglary tools and attempting to elude law enforcement officers.
The second suspect, whose name has not been released because of his age, was turned over to juvenile authorities.
Jaylan Brown
The 24-year-old Atmore man was arrested May 7 after APD narcotics agents and Special Response Team members executed a search warrant, which was obtained by an investigator from an unnamed neighboring agency, at a residence in the 100 block of 4th Street.
The search, carried out shortly before 8 a.m., led to discovery of a “large amount” of marijuana and items used to package narcotics, police said.
Brown was arrested and booked into the ECDC on one count each of first-degree possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia. He has since been released from the county jail.
Kendris Watts
Watts, a 34-year-old Pensacola, Fla. resident, was arrested around 6:30 p.m., May 7 after police responded to a report of a vehicle that had become disabled at the intersection of West Craig Street and South Main Street.
Reports show that as the responding officer approached the vehicle to question Watts, he “detected a strong odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle.”
A probable-cause search turned up a small amount of synthetic cannabis (Spice), and Watts was arrested for possession of a controlled substance. He has since been released from the county facility.