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Judge: T-Ball Coach Poses Danger, Must Stay In Jail On Weapons Charges
May 10, 2013
A Century man arrested on federal weapons charges while coaching t-ball will be held without bond until his trial.
In her decision this week, U.S. Magistrate Judge Elizabeth Timothy ordered Joshua Duane Griffis, age 26 of North Century Boulevard, held held because “no release condition or combination of conditions will reasonably assure the safety of any other person and the community”. Griffis is charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and disposing of a firearm knowing that it was stolen.
Griffis was taken into custody without incident at a t-ball game in Century, according to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
ATF Special Agent George Bruno testified a detention hearing this week that in September 2012 Griffis went to the home of a person known to him on Green Village Road near Walnut Hill and advised the resident that he needed to retrieve a cell phone charger from a bedroom. The resident complied.
Later that evening, the resident discovered his .22 caliber revolver was missing. The victim’s wife confronted Griffis. According to an arrest report, and he said that he had let a friend working offshore borrow the gun but it would be returned soon.
Agent Bruno testified that Griffis pawned the firearm at State Line Pawn in Atmore on September 27, 2012.
Court documents show Griffis has prior adult felony convictions for grand theft, fraudulent use of credit cards, two counts of burglary of a dwelling, two counts of concealing information to obtain a prescription and receiving stolen property. His record also includes 13 misdemeanor convictions for worthless checks, two counts of petit theft, two counts of driving while license suspended and domestic violence third degree assault.
Just eight days before the firearm was pawned, Griffis was sentenced to two years probation and a suspended year in jail for receiving stolen property and domestic violence offenses. Court documents also reflect that Griffis has substance abuse issues.
The court found Griffis should remain in jail for numerous reasons, including “the nature and seriousness of the danger posed by Defendant’s release, which is obvious in this case in light of Defendant’s drug addiction, prior record, and (based on the evidence presented) apparent stealing, possessing, and pawning a firearm”.
Griffis has been set for trial at the Federal Courthouse in Pensacola in July.
Comments
19 Responses to “Judge: T-Ball Coach Poses Danger, Must Stay In Jail On Weapons Charges”
Background checks YES, but who would PAY for these, we as parents/ grandparents pay enough already for our children to play in these NON PROFIT ORGANIZATION programs, I agree something needs to be done
Oh please give me a break and test these guys better before you allow them
access to your kids.
Thieves should be locked up, but I do not think arresting him at at ball game was a good idea . His poor kid.
Yes Henry I know just how you feel…40 years ago the school system kicked me out of school because I was pregnant….my how times have changed.
Of course if we had good law abiding citizens step up to coach our kids we wouldn’t be scraping the bottom of the barrel letting just any one who was willing to coach our kids.
This guy has had chance after chance after chance. It is now time for him to pay the piper….
A lengthy prison sentence is the best place for him. He wants to be a thug and not follow the law, let him rot in jail
Terra, as far parents being there, I don’t even want to be associating with people like him, much less coaching 1 of my kids teachers still have to have background checks even when parents might be there & parents help out @ some schools have to do those checks but there are parents who pass but you can tell they’re on meth by their teeth & apparently it’s ok which I do not agree with they should not even be allowed to sit in vehicle on school property
Oh, the irony. 30 yrs ago I volunteered to coach a T-ball team in a small north Alabama town. I was rejected because I was divorced. I don’t smoke, drink or take drugs (or own a gun). But being divorced, they told me, would be a bad influence on the kids.
Sheesh….
How was he coaching the league is suppost to run a back ground check before letting anyone coach
REGARDING:
“hold your head up I know its hard for you and your family but you can do it ”
Absolutely, why should anyone be ashamed of doing shameful things?
David on Bizarro World
I recall when he was first arrested in this case there were all sorts of people coming on NorthEscmbia about what a great guy he is and just needed a chance to get his life in order. Looking at his record he may have at last run out of “chances”.
Carmen~He was coaching a T-Ball little league. He didn’t work for a school. Most of these organizations just pick someone that’s into sports and seems to be good with kids. I guess the pretense is, parents are supposed to be with there kids so there is no danger involved. I DO Not agree with it, but it’s very common.
How did those nice people get mixed up with a Joker such as Griffis?
Josh hold your head up I know its hard for you and your family but you can do it God has gave you many chances but maybe this was the help you need Prayingforeveryoneinvolved
Reasonable judge
The next story should be into the ball park’s background check procedures and records. It’s my guess Griffis never actually had one conducted. The park president should and its board need to come forward and answer the questions, was one done for him, what were the results, and why was Griffis allowed to coach.
Domestic violence,a gun and children..there couldn’t be a worse combination. Thank goodness the story ended well with the bad guy in jail and society safe
So much for background checks. Guess they weren’t very thorough when they checked him out… they need a better way to check.
How in the world did this guy get to be a coach working with kids…I thought they were required to pass a background check?