WZEP AM 1460 First News Friday 02-05-10
WZEP AM 1460
Church Bookkeeper Arrested For Stealing Funds
A bookkeeper employed by a Crestview church since 2003 has been arrested by the Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office on charges she stole approximately $316,616 dollars of the church's finances.
The Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office says 37-year old Jeana Michelle Adams of Cahokia Run in Crestview is charged with grand theft over $100,000, uttering a forged instrument, forgery, and racketeering. Church deacons and accountants at Emmanuel Baptist Church on James Lee Road started uncovering indications of forgeries in late 2009. They then contacted the Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office in October.
An investigation revealed that Adams had been writing numerous church checks to herself and then depositing the money in her personal bank accounts. They also found evidence that Adams made purchases with her credit cards and then electronically transferred church funds into her credit card accounts.
Adams was arrested Tuesday and booked at the Okaloosa County Jail in Crestview.
Two Arrested For Breaking Into South Walton Home
Walton County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested two Niceville men in the act of burglarizing a residence on Miramar Beach. At around 10:30 Wednesday night, an alert resident on Bayshore Drive noticed two men with grey hooded sweatshirts and jeans behind an unoccupied home and called the Walton County Sheriff’s Office. The resident said the owners of the house live out-of-state, and no one was supposed to be there.
Within minutes, two Sheriff’s Deputies arrived on scene and found a side door open. Once the deputies entered and announced for anyone inside to come out, someone said, “Do not shoot, we are coming out.” Two men, later identified as 20-year-old Brandon Corbitt and 21-year-old Christopher Sylvester, came into the living room. They were handcuffed and led outside the home.
Sylvester told authorities they used a screwdriver to force their way into the residence. Deputies found television wires removed from the audio/visual ports to the front of the television. These wires were connected to a VCR and DVD player sitting next to the TV.
Corbitt and Sylvester were booked into the Walton County Jail on the charge of Burglary of an Unoccupied Structure. Additional charges are expected.
DFS Traffic Stop and Arrest
During a routine traffic stop Thursday morning, DeFuniak Springs Police Officers arrested Lakisha Sakia Baldwin after locating a controlled Scheduled II semi synthetic prescription narcotic in her vehicle. Baldwin was transported to the Walton County Jail and charged with for possession of a controlled substance.
While conducting a road side interview with Baldwin, Officers ascertained there were more illegal controlled substances at her residence on North 20th Street. Based off the interview and physical evidence located in the vehicle, DeFuniak Springs Police and the State Attorney’s Office attained a search warrant for the residence.
During the implementation of the warrant, DeFuniak Springs Police Officers located more controlled narcotics throughout the residence. Evidence collected on site included controlled prescription narcotics, cocaine, marijuana, drug paraphernalia and an undisclosed amount of U.S. currency.
Baldwin will be charged with possession of controlled substance, possession with intent to sell and possession of drug paraphernalia, but additional charges may be pending after further investigation by the DeFuniak Springs Police.
Sex offender Arrested
Thursday afternoon, the United States Marshal’s Florida Regional Fugitive Task Force arrested Omer Stokes on a Walton County Warrant at a residence in Lockhart, Alabama. The 37-year-old suspect had reportedly assaulted a female victim over a two-year-period beginning in June 2006. The victim was only ten-years-old when the sexual assaults started. They took place in both Northwest, Florida and Southeast, Alabama.
The victim was living with the suspect during the time the sexual assaults took place. In one incident, Stokes punched the girl in the mouth for what he described as “being sassy”.
The Lockhart, Alabama Police Department assisted the U.S. Marshal’s Task Force in locating Stokes at his father’s house. Numerous law enforcement agencies assisted in the Fugitive’s capture: The Walton County Sheriff’s Office; The Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office; The Houston County, Alabama Sheriff’s Office; and the Covington County Sheriff’s Office.
Stokes is “behind bars” at the Covington County Jail in Andalusia, Alabama and is charged with sexual lewd or lascivious conduct of a person under 16-years-old, and cruelty toward a child without great harm. The Walton County Sheriff’s Office will ask the court to allow Stokes to be transferred back to Florida to face charges in Walton County.
Stolen Property Recovered
Thursday, Walton County Sheriff’s Investigators served a search warrant at Billy Ray Blane’s home on Walton County Highway 183 South, several miles outside of Ponce de Leon. The raid resulted in thousands of dollars worth of items taken in several burglaries over recent months. Sheriff’s Investigators found everything from stolen lawn equipment to laptop computers.
In January, a six-day manhunt for Blane ended peacefully with his arrest at a residence south of DeFuniak Springs. He is the key figure in “Operation Valley View” which got underway last April. It targeted those who manufacture and distribute crystal-methamphetamine.
Blane is reportedly a meth cook, and helped organize several of the suspects in the purchase of the chemicals needed in the manufacture of the highly addictive narcotic. The Walton County Sheriff’s Office was able to track thousands of dollars worth of stolen property to Blane’s home. The 55-year-old suspect remains “behind bars” at the Walton County Jail on a 100-thousand dollar bond for a host of drug related charges. Additional charges are now expected from today’s discovery of the stolen property.
WZEP News Segment 2
Walton County Teacher of the Year
Teachers, education support personnel, school district officials and members of the community gather last night at the new Walton High School to recognize some of their own. The Walton County Education Association Instructional president Trish Hutchison and Education Support Personnel President Dixie Burge, Superintendent Carlene Anderson and School Board members presented the annual awards. Helen Hunt Rigdon with Congressman Jeff Miller’s office presented a recognition that was read into the record in Congress.
And the Teacher of the Year for each school is:
Bay Elementary: Regina Porter Smith
Van R. Butler: Brandy Wesson
Emerald Coast Middle: Nancy Parker
South Walton High: Jerry Pilcher
Freeport Elementary: Cheryl Davila
Freeport Middle: Lisa Jones
Freeport High: Donna Simmons
Maude Saunders Elementary: Sonya Merchant
West DeFuniak Elementary: Trish Coleman
Walton Middle: Kathy Russ
Walton Career Development Center: Sue Ellen Colin
Walton High: Glen Harrison
WISE Center: Ramona Beckner
Mossy Head School: Kristen Howell
Paxton Elementary: Faith Anderson
Paxton Middle/High: Patricia Toy
Educational Support Personnel include:
Saronda Lewis, Marible Anderson, Stephanie Ryan, Mary Grippo, Debbie Lynn, Barbara Truett, Jerry Dickey, Rosemary Garner, Elvia Sanchez Eason, Gloria Ingram, Stephanie Hoke, Lenita Aulum, Janet Baxley, Sheryl Evans, Alphonso Copeland, Dewitt Campbell, Monica Reeves, Charlette Davis, and Elizabeth Hawthorne.
With family, friends and peers gathered Debbie Lynn, a nurse from Freeport Elementary, was selected as the Education Support Person of the Year. And the Teacher of the Year is, Patricia Toy from Paxton Middle/High.
Hear local sports at 6:50 am, 7:20 am and 12:20 pm and FRN sports at 7:50am & 3:45 pm.
In Girls’ High School Basketball
District tournament continue Friday in Laurel Hill and Ponce de Leon.
In Boys’ High School Basketball
Thursday, February 4
Ponce de Leon hosts Poplar Springs 6 and 7:15 pm
Freeport hosts East Hill 5 and 6:30 pm
Walton County Coed Softball registration is today through February 15th. Just go by Parks and Recreation on Highway 83 Monday-Friday between 8 am and 4:30 pm. The cost is $350 per team. You must register as a team. Individual registrations will not be accepted.
DeFuniak Springs Little League Registration is Thursday, February 4th from 5 pm-7 pm at the Little League Park. The cost for sign-up is $55 per player. Parents will need to provide a birth certificate for their child as well as 3 proofs of residency. For more information, call 892-7475.
The DFS Woman's Club and Pizza Hut are sponsoring the Third Annual Chautauqua 5KRun/Fun Walk Saturday March 13, 2010. Registration time is 7 a.m., start time is 8 a.m. The registration fee is $20 on the day of the race. Pre-registration is suggested with an Early Bird discount. For forms received by Feb 27, 2010 the fee is $15. You can request a registration form via email at: dfswom...@gmail.com or you can call Chris Guzowski at 892-5615.
Obituaries
Ila Jean Adkinson, 83, of DeFuniak Springs, passed away quietly in her sleep on February 2. Visitation will be held 2:00 ~3:00 PM, Friday, February 5, at Clary-Glenn Funeral Home. Funeral services will be held 3:00 PM, Friday, February 5, at Clary-Glenn Funeral Home. Mrs. Adkinson will be laid to rest at Pleasant Ridge Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Argyle Baptist Church in DeFuniak Springs, or to the National Alzheimer’s Association. You may go online to view obituaries, offer condolences, sign guest book, and view video tribute at www.clary-glenn.com. The Adkinson Family have entrusted arrangements to Clary-Glenn Funeral Home.
On February 2, beloved mother, grandmother and great grandmother, Rosa Madden Faulk, broke the bonds of this earth to be carried to the arms of her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. A visitation will be held 2 hours prior to the funeral service, which commences at 2 PM February 5, 2010, at New Beginnings Church, located on Hwy 90 West in Crestview. Flowers are accepted or donations can be made to Shockly Springs Baptist Church, 6935 Old River Road, Baker, Florida 32531 or to New Beginnings Church. Arrangements are entrusted to Whitehurst Powell Funeral Home in Crestview. Guest Register and condolences are available online at www.whitehurstpowellfuneralhome.com.
Obituaries can be heard every Monday through
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On
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And on Sundays at
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