9 Locals Sentenced Up To 20 Years In Federal Drug Case
July 25, 2011
Nine North Escambia area residents have been sentenced to federal prison and three others are awaiting sentencing on federal drug charges stemming from an undercover operation that ended earlier this year.
The longest sentences were handed down to Matthew Ramsey of Duxbury Avenue in Molino, James N. Brown of Molino Road in Molino and Terry D. Wolfe of Robertsdale, Alabama. Ramsey will spend the next 20 years in federal prison, while Brown was sentenced to nearly 16 years and Wolfe received 10 years.
The 12 were indicted and arrested in February for conspiring to obtain pseudoephedrine in order to manufacture methamphetamine. They were arrested in a day-long law enforcement sweep on February 22 as part of a federal effort dubbed “Operation Blister Pack”. Ramsey and Wolfe were also charged with obtaining pseudoephedrine in order to manufacture methamphetamine and conspiring to manufacture the methamphetamine itself.
All of the dozen defendants entered into plea agreements with federal prosecutors over the past few months.
Those sentenced so far are:
- James N. Brown, of Molino Road, Molino– 188 months federal prison, three years supervised release.
- Tonya L. Foster, of Vaughn Street, Cantonment– 72 months federal prison, three years supervised release.
- Aarron V. Hendrickson, of Hwy. 95A, Cantonment — 36 months federal prison, three years supervised release.
- Raymond E. Love, of Highway 29, Molino — 54 months federal prison, three years supervised release.
- William T. Neal, of Williams Ditch Road, Cantonment – 40 months federal prison, three years supervised release.
- Terra C. Palmer, of Daylily Road, Cantonment — 60 months federal prison, three years supervised release.
- Matthew M. Ramsey, of Duxbury Avenue, Molino — 240 months federal prison, 10 years supervised release.
- Nicholas D. Scott, of Rumford Road, Molino – 87 months federal prison, three years supervised release.
- Terry D. Wolfe, of Robertsdale, Ala. — 120 months federal prison, five years supervised release.
Three people other people are awaiting sentencing. They are:
- Rebecca Jernigan, of Still Road, Century.
- Particia Love, of Eastman Lane, Cantonment.
- William Robbins, of Duxbury Avenue, Molino.
The case resulted from a long-term investigation by the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office and the United States Drug Enforcement Administration
(DEA).
Official Warns Against Water Service Line Insurance
July 25, 2011
Century’s mayor has issued a warning against water service line insurance.
Mayor Freddie McCall said many citizens of Century received direct mail from a company offering to sell the water line insurance policies, but he said it’s not a needed item.
“You don’t need this,” McCall said at a recent town council meeting. McCall said any repairs covered by the policy could likely be done for less than the “high deductible” listed in the policy solicitation.
US Dept Of Justice Wants Gulf Coast Claims Facility Audit
July 25, 2011
The Gulf Coast Claims Facility –which is handling the $20 billion compensation fund for victims of the BP oil spill — has agreed to be audited following concerns about the transparency of the fund’s process.
U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder fired off a letter to the fund administrator, Ken Feinberg, to follow up on a July 7 meeting in which they agreed there should be such an audit.
“At our meeting we discussed concerns that I heard in the Gulf regarding the transparency of the process,” Holder wrote in the letter. “This letter will confirm your conversation with Associate Attorney General Tom Perrelli, in which you agreed, as we discussed at our meeting, to an independent audit of the GCCF.”
Holder said the DOJ recognizes that the GCCF continues to get thousands of claims per week “and that resolving those claims quickly and fairly should be its highest priority,” and so said it would work with the fund to come up with a time for the audit to start, but said it would be before the end of the year.
U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson’s office claimed some credit for getting the DOJ interested in such an audit. Nelson and others had asked the administration to order it after news reports earlier this about a $10 million claims payment to one of BP’s business partners.
Nelson praised the decision to order an audit. “There’s clearly a need to assure more accountability and transparency,” he said.
By The News Service of Florida
Northwest Escambia Girls Pick Up Win At State
July 25, 2011
The Northwest Escambia senior girls softball team fell short of a state title, but they went further in the tournament than any another NWE team in their age bracket.
After winning the sectional championship earlier this month, NWE lost to Port St. John 12-0, beat Fort Myers 10-4 and lost to Palm Bay 14-4. The tournament was the first state win for a NWE seniors girls team.
Port St. John 12 Northwest Escambia 0
Courtney Peebles, Addie Lee and Penny Banda pitched for NWE as they fell to Port St. John, 12-0.
Northwest Escambia 10 Fort Myers 0
For Northwest Escambia, Cheyenne Schoonover had three runs and Danielle Steadham had two runs. Adding one run each for NWE were Kristen Byrd, Courtney Peebles, Penny Banda, Kendal Cobb and Addie Lee. Peebles pitched the entire game.
Palm Bay 14 Northwest Escambia 4
Cheyenne Schoonover, Kristen Byrd, Penny Banda and Kendal Cobb had one run each for Northwest Escambia against Palm Bay. Courtney Peebles and Penny Banda pitched for NWE.
Members of the NWE Senior Girls All-Star Team are Penny Banda, Kristen Byrd, Courtney Peebles, Kendal Cobb, Kyndall Hall, Danielle Steadham, Addy Lee, Samantha Bethea, Makayla Flowers and Cheyenne Schoonover. The team is managed by Ronald Peebles and coached by Jarrod Peebles and Danny Hall.
Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
School Board Member Slayton Elected To State Board
July 25, 2011
District 5 Escambia County School Board member Bill Slayton has been elected the Florida School Boards Association Board of Directors. Slayton, who represents the North Escambia area, will serve a two-year term on the state board.
The Florida School Boards Association is a nonprofit corporation representing all school board members in Florida.
Laundry Room Fire Forces Partial Evacuation At Century Care Center
July 24, 2011
A small fire Sunday morning forced a partial evacuation of the Century Care Center.
The fire was reported in the laundry room of the nursing home about 7 a.m. and was quickly extinguished. However, due to smoke in the building, many residents were evacuated outside for a short time period.
The fire caused little damage and no injuries were reported.
The Century, McDavid and Walnut Hill stations of Escambia Fire Rescue and the Flomaton Fire Department responded to the call.
Editor’s note: We received several emails about LifeFlight landing the during the incident at the nursing home. LifeFlight landed at the EMS Post behind Century Care Center on a medical call that was not related to Century Care Center.
Pictured above and below: Several fire departments responded to a small fire at the Century Care Center. Pictured inset: Residents are escorted back inside the facility following a brief evacuation. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Century Taking Bids To Demolish Building
July 24, 2011
The Town of Century is soliciting bids to demolish a portion of an abandoned building owned by the town.
The town voted to demolish the front, two-story portion of the building on Mayo Street because it is beyond repair. Once the the older 6,400 square foot part of the building is gone, town employees will be used to create a new front for the remaining single-story metal structure.
Bids for the demolition will be accepted until 9 a.m. on August 9. Prospective bidders are required to contact Mayor Freddie McCall at the Century Town Hall, (850) 256-3208.
The white, mostly brick building at 7601 Mayo Street (across from the old hospital) housed doctors’ offices and even a pharmacy and soda fountain years ago. It has been abandoned for several years and is in an obvious state of disrepair with roof and structural problems.
Pictured above: Town of Century will tear down the two story portion of this building owned by the town on Mayo Street. Pictured below: The interior of the building just inside the front door as seen in October 2008.NorthEscambia.com photos.
CCI Inmate Pleads Not Guilty In Murder Of Another Inmate
July 24, 2011
An inmate at the Century Correctional Institution has pleaded not guilty of the late 2010 murder of another inmate.
John Scaife, 58, was charged in May with manslaughter and battery for the death of 54-year old Donald J. Bart. Officials said Scaife allegedly punched Bart at CCI on December 22, 2010. After being punched, Bart fell and hit his head on the prison floor. He died three days later.
Scaife is due to back in court in September . He is being held in the Escambia County Jail without bond.
Scaife was serving a 12 year sentence from Polk County for a 2001 conviction on charges of burglary, grand theft auto and fleeing/eluding law enforcement. According to the Florida Department of Corrections, he has been in and out of prison since 1979 for a list of offenses that include burglary, robbery, aggravated battery, sexual battery and petty theft.
Bart was sentenced in 2009 in St. Lucie County to eight years for arson, torturing animals and burglary, and a five year sentence for a 2008 St. Lucie County conviction on marijuana charges.
Have Extra From Your Garden? Food Pantry Seeks Donations
July 24, 2011
A local food pantry is asking those with an ample harvest from their gardens to help those that are less fortunate.
The Allen Memorial UMC Fred Lacy Memorial Food Pantry in Cantonment has joined with AmpleHarvest.org to help provide the pantry with fresh fruits and vegetables.
Anyone with excess produce that they would like to donate, call Katrina Williamson at (850) 968-6213 or (850) 777-9666. The church can pick up the items if needed.
Man Grabs McDonalds Deposit, Steals And Burns Getaway Van
July 24, 2011
Authorities are searching for the suspect that snatched a restaurants deposits, stole a van and then torched the van Saturday afternoon.
The unidentified man stole the deposits from McDonalds on Pensacola Boulevard before stealing a 2001 Pontiac van. The van was later found burning on Longleaf Drive.
The incident is still under investigation by the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office. Anyone with information about the crime is asked to call the Sheriff’s Office at (850) 436-9620 or Crime Stoppers at (850) 433-STOP.