Sheriff Morgan, Concerned About Child Porn, Seeks To Limit Access To Evidence In ‘Sex Ring’ Lawsuit
July 6, 2019
Escambia County Sheriff David Morgan was deposed Friday afternoon in a federal lawsuit claiming he had knowledge of a sex ring and attempted to influence an internal investigation. Citing concerns over child pornography, he also filed paperwork seeking to limit access to electronic devices belonging to suspects.
Friday, Morgan filed an answer to a request by the plaintiff to access cell phones and computers that were used in the 2015 prosecutions of Leah Manning, Doug Manning and former deputy Walter Thomas in a sex case. The phones are still held in evidence by the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office.
Morgan is being sued by the Manning’s twin adult daughters. They were involved as minors in sexual activities that led to the convictions of both Mannings and Thomas. The lawsuits allege Morgan “tolerated the sexual activities” with deputies and other ECSO employees “because of his friendship and personal relationship with mother (Leah Manning).” Morgan is denying all allegations against him.
Friday, Chief United States Magistrate Judge Elizabeth Timothy ordered attorneys for the plaintiffs and Morgan essentially to talk and work out an agreement by 5 p.m. Monday.
Morgan contends that the phones could contained child pornography not discovered in 2015.
“The same software used in 2015 to extract the data from the electronic devices in question is not the same system used today,” the court filing says. “Due to the nature of the cases involving the Plaintiffs and new software technology being used to extract data, there is a chance that reprocessing the electronic devices may reveal information that could contain child pornography. By using new extraction technology it could result in the unveiling of inappropriate images of minors through programs such as Kik and Snapchat used by the minor children. There is a prohibition under Florida law for the reproduction of child pornography.”
Morgan is asking the the evidence be reviewed at the Sheriff’s Office with conditions to avoid any potential violations of law concerning child pornography, and “since there is always a risk associated with potential loss of data when reviewing original devices in evidence” the State Attorney’s Office and defense counsel for Thomas be notified.
Morgan wants the phones be reprocessed by an Escambia County Sheriff’s Office employee in the presence of a witness for the plaintiff. The sheriff is also asking that no copies be made of any new downloads to avoid the potential transmission of child pornography.
Tales for Tails: Volunteers Read To Dogs, Cats At Shelter During Fireworks
July 6, 2019
Ten-year old Jubilee Lampron of Cantonment spent her Fourth of July night with about 75 other volunteers reading to the dogs and cats at the Escambia County Animal Shelter to help keep them calm as fireworks boomed.
The animal shelter hosted Tales for Tails for two hours Thursday night.
“I felt like it was important to read and talk to the shelter dogs because they needed a comforting distraction from the loud noises of the fireworks,” Jubilee said. “They are already in an unfamiliar environment so I wanted to spend my Fourth of July loving on them and giving them good memories. They were all so sweet and I hope people come down and find a new family member.”
Jubile was joined by her mother, Miranda Lampron, during the event. The family adopted their dog Liberty five years ago on July 3.
Pictured top: Jubilee Lampron of Cantonment reads to a dog the night of Independence Day at the Escambia County Animal Shelter for “Tales for Tails”. Also pictured: Other volunteers read aloud at the shelter. Photos for NorthEscambia, click to enlarge.
Suspect Dead in Pensacola Officer Involved Shooting
July 6, 2019
A Pensacola man was shot by police and later died Friday afternoon.
Pensacola Police said two officers smelled the odor of marijuana coming from a car. They attempted a traffic stop, but the driver would not stop. Police said it was not a high speed chase, and they observed narcotics being thrown out of vehicle window.
The SUV driver eventually stopped at C and Brainerd streets where the two Pensacola Police officers attempted to make an arrest. A fight ensued, and a suspect managed to disarm an officer. The second officer fired his weapon, striking the suspect. The suspect was later pronounced deceased at a Pensacola hospital.
The man’s name has not yet been released. No officers were injured.
The officer involved shooting is under investigation by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
Muscogee Road Damaged By Water Main Break; Boil Water Notice Lifted
July 6, 2019
Part of the westbound lane of Muscogee Road at Mintz Lane was closed due to a water main break Thursday. Early Friday evening, drivers reported that the roadway collapse was expanding, prompting the barricaded area to be enlarged.
The water main broke Thursday afternoon and was repair Friday night. A boil water notice in the area was lifted Saturday morning.
- Muscogee Road, between Pace Parkway and Highway 29
- 102-126 Mintz Lane. (west side of the street only)
- Becks Lake Road, between Highway 29 and 325 Becks Lake Road
- Stone Boulevard
NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
Escambia Businessmen Convicted On Federal Spice Charges
July 6, 2019
Benjamin Galecki, former Pensacon CEO, and Burton Ritchie, former owner of The Psychedelic Shack in Pensacola, were convicted in federal court in Nevada on 24 counts related to manufacture of synthetic cannabinoids, commonly known as “spice”.
According to the evidence presented during the 10 day trial, Ritchie, 48, of now Park City, Utah, and Galecki, 44, of Pensacola, committed these crimes in the District of Nevada, from March 21 to July 25, 2012. The evidence showed that Ritchie and Galecki were the owners and managers of Zencense Incenseworks, a company that manufactured smokable synthethic spice and marketed their products as “potpourri,” “incense,” and “aromatherapy.”
They were convicted by a federal jury of operating a continuing criminal enterprise, manufacturing and possessing with the intent to distribute a controlled substance and controlled substance analogues, money laundering, mail and wire fraud, and related charges.
Ritchie and Galcki rented a warehouse in Las Vegas for the sole purpose of manufacturing spice products which contained the dangerous chemical XLR-11, which the jury found to be a controlled substance analogue. Ritchie and Galecki ordered XLR-11 from chemical suppliers in China and Hong Kong. At the Las Vegas warehouse, a Zencense employee mixed the XLR-11 with acetone, liquid flavoring and applied the chemical mixture to dried plant material. The warehouse employee mailed the compounded spice in draw string garbage bags to Ritchie and Galecki in Pensacola, Florida, where other workers placed the spice into small retail bags. The defendants sold their products with suggestive brand names including, “Bizarro,” “Orgazmo,” “Headhunter,” and “Defcon 5 Total Annihilation,” to smoke shops across the United States. From June 1 to July 25, 2012, Ritchie and Galecki were responsible for manufacturing and distributing approximately 4,000 pounds of spice and grossed more than $1.6 million dollars in sales.
The minimum penalty for a continuing criminal enterprise is 20 years’ imprisonment and a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. The penalties for the controlled substance analogue, wire fraud, mail fraud, and six money laundering counts each carry a maximum of 20 years’ imprisonment.
Hundreds In Molino Left Without Power Friday Afternoon
July 6, 2019
Several hundred Molino residents spent up to an hour without air conditioning due to a power outage Friday afternoon. About 4:05 p.m., a power line fell on Molino Road just east of Highway 95. That left just over 300 Gulf Power customers without power as repairs were made, according to the utility. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Blue Wahoos Start Fast, But Surging Barons Continue Winning Ways
July 6, 2019
The Birmingham Barons staggered into the first half season break with the Southern League’s worst record.
But they are far different team two weeks into the second half, as the Pensacola Blue Wahoos can attest.
The Barons (27-42 overall first half, 11-5 now), produced a four-run rally in the sixth inning Friday night in winning for the ninth time in 10 games, including the first two games of this series, with a 7-3 victory against the Blue Wahoos at Regions Field in Birmingham.
A crowd of 6,347 watched the Barons, affiliate of Chicago White Sox, fall behind in the fourth inning before turning the game in their favor to continue their best performance stretch this season.
The Blue Wahoos (47-39 overall, 9-7) got their three runs in the top of the fourth on two swings. Alex Kirilloff led off the inning with a homer over the right field wall, his third as a Blue Wahoos players. Mark Contreras followed four batters later with a two-run shot, scoring catcher Ben Rortvedt, who was hit a pitch after Kirilloff’s homer.
Those two blasts, however, were among only four Blue Wahoos hits in the game. They had only two baserunners the rest of the game.
Birmingham relievers Vince Arobio and Kodi Medeiros combined to allow just one hit and one walk in the final four innings of the game.
Bryan Sammons started for the Blue Wahoos, his first since June 25 before going on the injured list. He faced the minimum nine batters in the first three innings, yielding only a walk.
But in the fourth inning, the Barons’ gifted outfielder Luis Robert led off with a solo homer, his eight of the season to trim the deficit.
In the fifth inning, Ti’Quan Forbes walked. The Barons’ Luis Gonzalez tripled to score Forbes. With Sammons coming off an injury and having a pitch limit, the Blue Wahoos went to Andro Cutura with two outs in the fourth.
Cutura gave up a double to Ramon Torres to score Gonzalez and tie the game.
In the sixth inning, the Barons scored four runs on three hits against Cutura.
Nick Madrigal doubled to start the rally. Blake Rutherford singled to score Madrigal. Gavin Sheets reached on a fielding error. Both runners were moved on a sacrifice bunt. Cutura issued an intentional walk to load the bases.
Laz Rivera produced a squeeze play bunt to score Rutherford and keep the bases load. With two out, Ramon Torres worked a walk against Cutura to score another run. Robert was then hit by a pitch to force in the fourth run of the inning.
Unlike previous games of their six-game winning streak that ended Thursday, the Blue Wahoos could not get baserunners in the final five innings to set up a potential rally.
Travis Blankenhorn, Kirilloff, Contreras and Joe Cronin had the Blue Wahoos four hits.
The teams will play the third game of a six-game series on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. with the Blue Wahoos’ Randy Dobnak (4-0, 2.54 ERA) going against the Barons’ Tanner Banks (1-5, 3.43 ERA).
The Blue Wahoos’ Adam Bray pitched two scoreless innings in relief of Cutura.
Oldest Living Poarch Creek Indian, Alabama WWII Vet Passes Away
July 5, 2019
The oldest living member of the Poarch Creek Indians and the oldest living World War II veteran in Alabama has passed away.
Carl ‘Buster’ McGhee, 102, passed away this week in Atmore
McGhee was born in Huxford, Alabama, and was formerly of Walnut Hill. He served in the United States Marine Corps during WWII.
Funeral services will be held Saturday at 11 a.m. from the Atmore Memorial Chapel Funeral Home with Bro. James Boyd and Bro. Rowdy Boyte officiating. Burial will follow in Walnut Hill Baptist Church Cemetery.
He is survived by his children Gilbert (Mary) McGhee of Walnut Hill, FL; Carl Farron “Fay” McGhee of Poarch, AL; Robert (Annette) McGhee of Saraland, AL; Glenn (Billie) McGhee of Pensacola, FL; Larry E. McGhee of Poarch, AL; Harold (Lynna) McGhee of Brewton, AL and Sandra (Larue) Chunn of Theodore, AL. One sister Thelma Henson of Frost Proof, FL; sixteen grandchildren; twenty-three great grandchildren; ten great- great grandchildren and numerous nieces, nephews and friends.
For the complete obituary, click here.
Century Still Seeking Charter Review Committee Applicants; Little Interest So Far
July 5, 2019
The Town of Century is continuing to accept applicants for a Charter Review Committee, but so far they’ve had little interest expressed by local residents.
Applicants must reside within the town limits and submit an application by 3 p.m. on Thursday, July 25. As of early this week, only two applications had been received.
If the town council goes forward, the committee will explore the town charter — the document that establishes the town, outlines its powers and spells out how it should operate. The current Century charter has not been updated in almost 40 years.
The town council held a workshop in May with Lynn Tipton of the Florida League of Cities explained to the council that municipal governments in Florida often review and update their charters to meet the ever-changing landscape of government.
The Century town charter was adopted on November 27, 1979, and ratified by referendum on January 8, 1980. It has been unchanged since.
Tipton said the first step toward possible changes to Century’s charter would be the formation of a charter revision committee. The committee would hold several public forums and would work to involve local citizens every step of the way in a process that could easily take a year.
“The role of citizens in this process is crucial,” Tipton said.” Representation of the public, ability to weigh issues and to understand the charter’s importance of the city’s governing foundation.”
The number of council members, the length of their terms and how the mayor is selected could all be changed through an updated charter.
To download an application (PDF), click here.
NorthEscambia.com file photo.
Rolling Hills Landfill Being Closed Permanently
July 5, 2019
The Rolling Hills Landfill will be permanently closed. It has been site of fires that have burned for days.
Closure construction work should be completed within four months. Following completion of construction activities, the site will be closely monitored for several weeks to confirm site stabilization and adherence to the engineered design.
FDEP revoked the permit for the landfill in 2014, which resulted in an issuance of a Final Order of Permit Revocation in May 2015. The closure of the facility was ultimately due to permit compliance issues including failure to apply soil cover, elevated levels of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) emanating from the facility, impacts to ground-water and surface water and disposal of unauthorized waste.
“I’m glad to see that FDEP is taking final step in the remediation of the Rolling Hills landfill. It is my hope that the Wedgewood community may begin the process of healing,” said State Representative Alex Andrade.
FDEP says that residents may notice increased activity at the site, but contractors were instructed to “make every effort to minimize any inconveniences or disruptions to the community over the next few months”.
The Rolling Hill Landfill is located on Rolling Hills Road, just southwest of the I-10 and Highway 29 intersection.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
