Sex Offender, 84, Gets 30 Years For Viewing Porn On Probation
December 17, 2025
An 84-year old sex offender has been sentenced to three decades in prison for violating his probation.
Carl Wayne Castleberry was sentenced on Tuesday to 30 years in state prison by Circuit Judge John Miller.
Castleberry was on probation for two counts of lewd or lascivious conduct for abusing a young female relative. In September 2019, he pled guilty and was sentenced to 50 months in state prison to be followed by 25 years of sex offender probation. He was released from prison in August of 2022.
By October of 2025, his probation officer discovered that Castleberry had been viewing pornography in violation of his probation conditions, according to prosecutors.
Santa Claus To Visit The Molino Library On Thursday
December 17, 2025
Santa Claus will visit the Molino Library on Thursday.
Santa will hear Christmas wishes, and parents are invited to use their phone or bring a camera for photos. He will be at the library at 4:30 p.m.
The Molino Library is at 6450A Highway 95A, in the Molino Community Center.
Pictured: Santa Claus during a recent visit to the Century Library. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Bratt Elementary Students Donate To Area Nursing Home Residents
December 17, 2025
Bratt Elementary School students collected items for area nursing home residents.
The donations—including socks, lip balms, gloves, tissues, and lotions—were delivered Tuesday afternoon.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Tax Collector’s MILO, OneBlood, Help A Neighbor At Thursday Walnut Hill Community Outreach
December 17, 2025
A community outreach event will take place Thursday in Walnut Hill with the Escambia County Tax Collector’s Mobile Identification and Licensing Office (MILO), blood donations with the Big Red Bus, and a donations will be accepted to help neighbors.
MILO Tax Collector Services
The Escambia County Tax Collector’s Mobile Identification and Licensing Office (MILO) will be at the Walnut Hill Community Center on Thursday, December 18, from 10 a.m. until 2:30 p.m.
MILO offers a convenient way for residents to access essential tax collector services, including:
- Driver License Services: Renewals, replacements, out-of-state license conversions/reciprocations, and address/name changes.
- Identification Cards: First-time issuance and renewals.
- Vehicle Services: Registration renewals and replacements, title transfers, and parking placards.
- Tax Payments: Property tax payments.
- Business Tax Receipts: Applications and renewals.
- Certified Driver Transcripts
Written and driving tests are not available at the MILO unit.
Help A Neighbor
From 8 a.m. until 2 p.m., new socks and new underwear in original packaging will be accepted, along with new blankets with tags attached to help needy individuals in the community.
Blood Donations
OneBlood’s Big Red Bus will be onsite at the community center from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. Donors will receive a sweatshirt and a $20 egift card.
Location
The Walnut Hill Community Center is located at 7850 Highway 97, just north of the fire department and Ernest Ward Middle School.
Escambia County Warning Contractors About License Payment Scam
December 17, 2025
The Escambia County Building Services Department has received reports of fraudulent emails claiming to represent Building Services, requesting immediate payment in order to receive an electrical license or other county license.
The county said do not respond to these fraudulent messages, pay the attached invoices, or click any links. These emails are not legitimate and are not associated with Escambia County Building Services.
Escambia County Building Services will never ask for payment via an email link, credit card, or wire transfer. Escambia County only accepts contractor license payments via cash or check.
FDLE Arrests Escambia County Sex Offender Who Now Faces 30 New Charges
December 16, 2025
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) has arrested a registered sex offender in Escambia County who now faces 30 new charges.
Donschee Ricky Montrell Foster, 33, was charged with 20 counts of possession of child sexual abuse material, one count of failure to report a change in residence, one count of failure to report vacating a permanent residence, three counts of knowingly providing false sexual offender registration information by act or omission and five counts of failure to report internet identifiers. He remains in the Escambia County Jail without bond.
he investigation began in early November, when FDLE discovered Foster was residing at an unreported address, which violates Florida’s sexual offender registration laws. The investigation revealed that Foster had not been at his registered residence for nearly a week but was living at an apartment in Pensacola which was also occupied by a juvenile family member. On November 17, FDLE obtained an arrest warrant for Foster for failure to report a change in residence, failure to report vacating a residence and knowingly providing false sexual offender registration information by act or omission.
During a post arrest interview of Foster, FDLE discovered that he was using multiple online accounts that had not been properly reported to the appropriate authorities in accordance with his registration requirements. FDLE obtained a search warrant for Foster’s cell phone. Agents said the digital forensic analysis resulted in the identification of five unreported online accounts including Facebook Messenger, Roblox, X, YouTube and Discord. The analysis also identified multiple files which appeared to depict the sexual abuse of children on his device. FDLE worked to obtain another search warrant to allow for a more thorough review of the contents of the device. The expanded search revealed numerous images involving the sexual exploitation of children.
On December 5, FDLE obtained a second arrest warrant for Foster for charges of failure to report an internet identifier and possession of child sexual abuse material.
One Injured In Cantonment Wreck When SUV Rear-Ends Tractor Trailer
December 16, 2025
One person was injured when they crashed their SUV into the rear of a tractor-trailer hauling a shipping container Monday afternoon on Becks Lake Road.
The crash occurred just before 1:30 p.m. near the railroad tracks, just east of the Highway 29 intersection. The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour and reader submitted photos, click to enlarge.
Free Cantonment, Farm Hill Neighborhood Cleanup Set For Wednesday
December 16, 2025
A neighborhood cleanup for residents in Cantonment and Farm Hill are will take place Wednesday, December 17. This is a chance for residents to dispose of items such as old furniture, appliances and household waste free of charge.
The cleanup was originally scheduled for Wednesday, October 15 and was rescheduled to Wednesday, December 17.
Only residents in the designated cleanup area can participate in the neighborhood cleanup. Items for pickup should be at the curb by 7 a.m. on Wednesday. Items left at the curb outside of the cleanup area will not be collected. (Click map above to enlarge.)
Items eligible for removal include:
- Household appliances and electronics
- Household junk and debris
- Bicycles and toys
- Old furniture and mattresses
- Barbecue grills
- Household hazardous waste (old paint, motor oil, chemicals, batteries)
- Tires (limit 10 per household)
- Yard debris (tree cuttings, branches, etc.)
Items NOT eligible for removal include:
- Building materials (concrete, bricks, blocks, roofing, drywall or lumber)
- Explosives or ammunition
- Auto parts
- Dirt or sod
- Vehicles or vessels
- 55-gallon drums of fluids
For questions,contact Escambia County Neighborhood and Human Services at (850) 595-3130.
Since 2016, more than 7,435 tons (16,393,574 pounds) of waste have been disposed of through the Community Redevelopment Agency’s Safe Neighborhood Program. During neighborhood cleanups, crew members and volunteers visit different neighborhoods in the county to remove a variety of debris and waste free of charge.
Northview Band Holds Winter Concert (With Gallery)
December 16, 2025
The Northview High School Tribal Beat band held its annual Winter Concert Monday night.
Ensembles performed selections that included Silent Night, Joy to the World, and Pat-a-pan. The Northview Concert Band then performed the lively Bobsled Run, Salvation is Created and Into the Arctic.
For a photo gallery, click here.
The Northview band is under the leadership of Director Garsche Roble and Assistant Director Alisa Brown.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Tate Senior Gage Coates Wins Esports Madden NFL Championship
December 15, 2025
Tate High School senior Gage Coates won the Esports Fall 2025 Madden NFL Central Region Championship Game, defeating his opponent from Bishop Verot Catholic High School in Fort Myers.
Coates earned the No. 2 seed in the playoffs with an impressive 7-1 regular season record. The national league, hosted by PlayVS, features 32 teams from across the United States, including competitors from states like Iowa, Alabama, and Kansas.
“I enjoy playing Madden because we get to play as our heroes and compete with people around the world,” Coates said. “Sometimes, we’re lucky enough to play as a guy we watched on Friday night, like Graham Gano.”
This victory marks the latest achievement in Coates’ esports career, following his impressive performance last season when he won the Central Region Madden NFL Championship with a 9-1 regular season record and an overall 14-1 performance.
In addition to Coates’s success, Tate’s esports program continues to thrive across multiple games. This year, multiple Tate teams qualified for the PlayVS playoffs, including two teams in Super Smash Bros. and two in Fortnite, showcasing the ongoing growth and success of Tate’s esports program.
The esports program at Tate High School was made possible through a Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) grant, which has allowed students like Coates to excel in competitive gaming at the highest levels.
“We are incredibly proud of Gage and the dedication he brings to our esports program,” Principal Laura Touchstone said. “His hard work, leadership, and passion have set a high bar for our students. Our esports teams continue to demonstrate excellence, and Gage’s championship victory is a testament to the talent and commitment found here at Tate High School.”
PlayVS (Play Versus) is North America’s leading platform for scholastic and collegiate esports. Coates’s championship victory underscores the exceptional talent at Tate, and the support of the DoDEA grant has been crucial in making these achievements possible.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
