FDLE Charges Escambia Man With Child Solicitation
September 8, 2022
An Escambia County man was arrested Wednesday by the Florida Department for child solicitation.
James Darwin Willman, age 31 of Bowman Avenue, is charged with two counts of using a computer to seduce, solicit or lure a child, seven counts of transmission of material harmful to a minor by electronic device or equipment, and one count of unlawful use of a two-way communications device. All charges are third-degree felonies.
The investigation began in August when agents, posing as a 14-year-old female, started communicating with Willman via an online dating website. Willman sent the agent’s 14-year-old persona several photographs of his exposed genitalia and requested nude photographs of the minor. He also agreed to travel and meet the agent’s 14-year-old persona, describing sexual acts he wanted to perform with her.
Willman was booked into the Escambia County Jail on $100,000 bond.
Graduation Held For Female Sheriff’s Blazer Academy
September 8, 2022
Graduation was held this week for the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office first female Blazer Academy.
The young women ages 13-15 spent six weeks developing lifelong skills such as how to shake hands properly, how to dress for an interview, how to speak at a podium, and much more.
The 2022 Female Sheriff’s Blazer Academy’s theme was STARS – which stands for “Strong, Trustworthy, Accountable, Resilient, and Successful”.
“The first Female Sheriff’s Blazer Academy was a huge success! We are proud to serve our community by providing mentorships for our youth,” said Escambia County Sheriff Chip Simmons.
Rain Through The Weekend, But A Hint Of Fall Next Week?
September 8, 2022
We will deal with a good chance of showers and thunderstorms through the weekend. But there’s a little hint of fall in the forecast for next week. Not real fall, but just a little cooler, with a low Tuesday night in North Escambia predicted to be 65 degrees.
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
Thursday Night: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 69. Calm wind. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
Friday: Showers and thunderstorms. High near 83. East wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%.
Friday Night: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 1am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 70. East wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Saturday: Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly after 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 86. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph in the morning. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
Saturday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 71. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Sunday: Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly after 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 86. East wind around 5 mph becoming south in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Sunday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 71. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Monday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 85.
Monday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 69.
Tuesday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 85.
Tuesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 65.
Wednesday: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Sunny, with a high near 86.
Flomaton Police Chief Resigning For Another Law Enforcement Job
September 8, 2022
Flomaton Police Chief Charles “Chance” Thompson has submitted his resignation to accept a new position.
His resignation is effective September 27.
Thompson was promoted from FPD captain to chief in October 2019, following the resignation of then-chief Bryan Davis who also accepted another position after six years on the job.
In his resignation letter, Thompson said he was not being pressured to resign and it was not a disciplinary action of any kind. He said he has accepted another law enforcement position in Alabama.
“I would like to thank every citizen of this town for the ultimate opportunity to serve you. I grew up in this town and being able to serve close friends and elders that I grew up with was truly amazing. I am blessed for the amazing law enforcement experience that I gained through this journey as your chief of police,” Thompson said. “I am incredibly thankful to the good Lord for his guidance throughout my career, and what he holds for me in my future endeavors.”
No Serious Injuries In Wreck At Northview High School
September 7, 2022
One person received minor injuries in a two vehicle crash in front of Northview High School in Bratt Wednesday afternoon.
The adult male driver of a Chevrolet Impala apparently collided with the rear of a Nissan on West Highway 4 about 2:20 p.m. According to a witness, the Nissan driver was stopped headed eastbound with her blinker on waiting to turn into the school’s driveway. The Impala came to rest in a ditch, while the Nissan traveled off the roadway and across a grassy area before coming to rest partially in the driveway.
The adult female driver of the Nissan was transported by MedStar EMS to a nearby hospital, while the driver of the Impala refused transport.
The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating. The Walnut Hill and Century stations of Escambia County Fire Rescue, Escambia County EMS and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office responded to the crash.
The crash occurred about an hour before Northview’s dismissal time.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
FPL Customers Could See Rate Increase In 2023
September 7, 2022
Florida Power & Light customers could be facing higher bills in 2023.
FPL, and two other utilities in the state, filed petitions last week with the Florida Public Service Commission detailing higher costs for 2023, mostly from natural gas. If the proposals are approved, it will mean higher monthly bills next year.
In the FPL’s Northwest Florida territory, which was previously served by Gulf Power, the typical 1,000 kwh a month customer will see their bill go from $155.61 in 2022 to $160.43 in 2023. FPL customers in the rest of the state pay less, and would see an increase from $120.67 now to $130.23 in 2023.
“FPL believes it is appropriate to continue to monitor the market to determine whether the conditions and international events that have sharply impacted the natural gas market will moderate, such that a future fuel forecast may mitigate the projected fuel costs to be recovered,” the FPL petition stated. “FPL will continue to update its fuel cost calculation with additional data reflecting actual gas prices, actual sales and actual revenues. At the appropriate time toward the end of 2022 or beginning of 2023, FPL will file a request for recovery based on an updated calculation, to be considered by the commission in early 2023 for implementation following the customer notice period.”
More Fraud Claims Against Fence Contractor, Including Elderly Woman That Loaned Him Money
September 7, 2022
More alleged victims are coming forward claiming they were scammed by a local fence contractor, including an elderly woman that loaned him money.
Cody William Brown, 33, is facing new charges that include three counts of grand theft, giving a worthless check, exploitation of the elderly, and three counts of organized scheme to defraud. He was released on a new bond of $20,000.
He was previously charged with three counts of an organized scheme to defraud, multiple counts of grand theft, fraudulent use of a credit card, and multiple worthless check counts.
New victims came forward after NorthEscambia.com was first to report the original allegations and a second arrest.
The latest allegations are detailed below, according to Escambia County Sheriff’s Office reports.
“Boy Was I Fooled”
The victim told investigators that Brown previously did good work on fence jobs in the past. In April 2022, he told her that his son was sick and “would need to be seen in a different part of Florida for a specific medical treatment” before asking her for a loan, according to an arrest report. The 77-year old woman accompanied him to a local Regions Bank where she gave him $10,000 after she wrote a contract that was notarized by a bank employee, the report continues. The loan was due on May 30, but Brown never made a payment, she said.
She did not file a report until late August with the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office.
The woman told deputies that Brown took advantage of her, and later revealed that Brown did deposit a $5,000 check that was returned. A text message history shows that when confronted, Brown said he had COVID and was unable to handle the transaction, the report states.
“I thought I was dealing with an honorable person that needed help, boy was I fooled,” the 77-year old texted back.
According to the sheriff’s office, bank records corroborate the victim’s statements about the financial transactions.
Grand Theft, Scheme To Defraud Charges
Another victim reported that he gave Brown a $3,100 down payment to cover materials in a $6,200 fence job on Mobile Highway. The lawyer sent a letter to Brown and said no response was received.
The victim told deputies that he made contact with a lawyer to file a civil suit against Brown, but he was advised to file a police report due to previous news coverage about Brown.
“Cody Brown has even generated flyers which he passed out in neighborhoods in order to generate victims,” the ECSO report states.
The White Fence
According to the ECSO, Brown also accepted a $1,800 credit card down payment, half of a fence job’s total cost, from a victim.
The victim said a white fence was required in his neighborhood off Nine Mile Road, but Brown never started work. The victim told investigators that he texted Brown in January and February 2022, but the only response from Brown stated that materials were on backorder.
The victim called and filed a report in late August with the ECSO after news coverage about Brown.
Beulah Man Accused Of Sexual Battery Of Juvenile Girl
September 7, 2022
A Beulah man is accused of the sexual battery of a juvenile girl.
Jesse William Craig, 40, was booked into the Escambia County Jail on charges of lewd or lascivious battery on a victim age 12 to 16, child abuse with great bodily harm, and sexual battery on a victim age 12-18.
In late August, the juvenile female victim told investigators that Craig had been sexually assaulting her since May 13. She later disclosed the abuse to a family member, according to an arrest report.
She told investigators that Craig began to touch her after smoking marijuana on the porch and giving her “gunshots”, which she described as him blowing marijuana smoke in her mouth. She said the sexual abuse escalated in mid-June.
The victim provided a consistent and detailed disclosure of sexual abuse with no obvious motivation to falsify her allegations, the report continues.
Craig remained in the Escambia County Jail with bond set at $300,000.
Tate Freshmen Defeat Northview JV (With Photo Gallery)
September 7, 2022
The freshmen Tate High Aggies defeated the Northview Chiefs junior varsity 30-14 Tuesday night at Tommy Weaver Memorial Stadium in Bratt.
Northview (2-2) will travel to Atmore next Monday evening to take on Escambia County High School at 6:00.
Tate will travel to Navarre on September 15. The JV will play at 5 p.m. and junior varsity at 7:00.
For a photo gallery, click or tap here.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Escambia BOCC Tentatively Approves Static Millage Rate, Defined By State As Tax Increase
September 7, 2022
The Escambia County Commission Tuesday night gave tentative approval to a static property tax rate for next fiscal year, which is defined by the state as a tax increase.
The proposed millage rate is 7.4679, which is not an increased millage rate but is a 13.20% increase over the rolled back rate of 6.5969 mills.
The rolled back rate is a computed millage rate that would generate the same amount of ad valorem tax dollars as the prior fiscal year, based on the proposed year’s tax roll, excluding new construction. A millage rate higher than the rolled-back rate is defined by the State of Florida as a tax increase and must be advertised as such.
“I’m very happy that we are leaving the millage rate static; that provides a little revenue based upon the growth of the tax roll,” Commission Chairman Jeff Bergosh said. “Keeping the millage rate static provides the additional revenue necessary for us to provide raises to our first responders and our employees, and keep up with the inflation that we are dealing with.”
“We have not raised the millage rate in all the years (of service by current board members), so that’s fiscal prudence that I’m proud to say we’ve done,” Commissioner Lumon May said.
The BOCC will hold a second public hearing later this month to adopt their budget for fiscal year 2022-2023.