Stolen Coins Lead To Felony Charges
December 20, 2013
A Century woman is facing felony charges for allegedly stealing checks and silver coins from her mother.
Sunceree Covan Bledsoe, 48, was charged with felony grand theft and felony dealing in stolen property. She remained in the Escambia County Jail early Friday morning with bond set at $18,500.
Bledsoe’s mother accused her of stealing two checks and antique silver coins with a face value of $298 that were worth an estimated $1,o00. Bledsoe allegedly sold some of the coins to a Jefferson Avenue resident for $10 cash.
Bledsoe then allegedly redeemed additional coins at a coin to cash machine at the Century Food Giant, receiving $28.09 .
Governor Appoints Cantonment Man To Board Of Physical Therapy
December 20, 2013
Gov . Rick Scott announced 16 reappointments to medical quality assurance health boards throughout the state on Thursday, including that of a Cantonment man.
Clint E. Lohr, 41, was reappointed to the Board of Physical Therapy Practice by the governor. Lohr is the corporate director of rehabilitation for Baptist Health Care. He was reappointed for a term beginning December 19, 2013, and ending October 31, 2017.
The reappointments are subject to confirmation by the Florida Senate.
Santa Visits The Century Library’s Annual Christmas Program
December 20, 2013
Santa made a special visit to the Century Branch Library Thursday afternoon, hearing those special last minute requests for items like tablet computers, video games, dolls, clothes and more.
The event also included a Christmas story, a craft, a gift from an elf and more.
Pictured: The annual Christmas program at the Century Branch Library Thursday afternoon included a visit from Santa Claus. Submitted photos by August Whorff for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
$88,113 Lottery Ticket Expires Today
December 20, 2013
A winning Fantasy 5 prize winning ticket worth $88,113.47 remains unclaimed and becomes worthless in a few hours. The 180-day deadline to claim the top prize in Friday at midnight.
The winning Fantasy 5 numbers for the June 23 drawing were 05-07-12-24-35.
The ticket was purchased at the Kangaroo Express at 3225 West Nine Mile Road in Pensacola.
Escambia Man Gets 35 Years For Molesting 10-Year Old
December 20, 2013
A 51-year old Escambia County has sentenced to more than three decades in prison for molesting a child
Ricky Paul Lombardi was convicted by Escambia County Jury of lewd or lascivious molestation of a victim less than 12. He was sentenced Thursday to 35 years is state prison to be followed by a lifetime of probation. He was also designated as a sexual predator.
The charges stemmed from a 10-year-old victim who awoke on the couch with the defendant’s hand in their pants. The victim immediately ran into their mother’s room, woke her up and told her. The defendant was living in the house as a friend and tenant, but has no relation to the victim. The mother reported the incident the next morning. The child gave consistent disclosure to law enforcement and to the Child Protection Team.
The victim’s clothing was collected. After testing, the defendant’s DNA was located inside the child’s underwear.
Lombardi had a prior conviction for lewd and lascivious molestation in 1993.
FDLE Arrests Six In Fradulent Document Escape Scheme
December 20, 2013
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement on Thursday announced the arrests of six current and former prison inmates in a continuing investigation into two escapes using forged documents last fall.
The six face a combined 37 charges of conspiracy, escape, forgery and harboring an escaped prisoner. Those charged include Charles Walker and Joseph Jenkins, who were serving life sentences for murder from Orange County and now face additional charges.
The two men escaped from Franklin Correctional Institution using bogus court paperwork indicating their sentences had been reduced: Jenkins on Sept. 27 and Walker on Oct. 8. They were captured in Panama City Beach on Oct. 19.
Authorities know of five other attempted escapes using the same method, including two that were underway when the fraud was discovered. One of the prior attempts was by Jenkins. The attempts occurred at the Franklin Correctional and Gulf Correctional institutions and the Pinellas County Jail.
FDLE Commissioner Gerald Bailey said the “very complex investigation” will continue.
“These arrests represent significant progress in this case, and we definitely have a more clear understanding of the fraud,” Bailey said. “But it’s important that you understand this is still an active investigation. We still have numerous leads and evidence to filter through.”
Bailey described Nydeed Nashaddai, 48, as “the engineer of the scheme” and “the first to use it before passing his knowledge on to his fellow inmates.” Nashaddai is at Suwannee Correctional Institution and faces an additional four counts in connection with Walker and Jenkins’ escapes.
Also arrested:
Willie Slater Jr., 36, who faces nine counts for his outside role, which included ensuring that the forged documents arrived at the Orange County Clerk of Court’s office.
Terrance Goodman, 37, who drove Jenkins and Walker to Panama City and rented them a motel room. He faces one count of harboring a fugitive and two counts of conspiracy to commit escape.
Jeffrey Forbes, 30, an inmate at Florida State Prison, who faces four counts including escape, conspiracy and forgery.
The forged documents used by Walker and Jenkins were created at Franklin Correctional Institution and included the seal of the Orange County clerk of court’s office and signatures of circuit officials, including Ninth Judicial Circuit Chief Judge Belvin Perry Jr. and Orange County State Attorney Jeffrey Ashton.
Bailey said so far, the investigation hasn’t pointed to anyone in authority in the criminal justice system being a part of the scheme.
“We have no indication … that anyone in the prison system or at the clerk’s office was involved with this fraud,” he said.
But Department of Corrections Secretary Michael Crews said authorities are still examining the role of the access that inmates had to computers and printers in the prison.
“We’re looking at what we legally have to provide,” he said.
The state expects to begin using a “secure e-system” in February 2014 to transmit court orders so as to close the door on similar attempts in the future.
Lawmakers will consider stiffening penalties for people who are involved in creating false court documents.
by Margie Menzel, The News Service of Florida
High School Grades Released; Penalty Takes ‘A’ From Northview And Tate
December 19, 2013
High school grades in Florida generally headed up across Florida, meaning the schools will face tougher standards next year.
In Escambia County, Northview High School improved one letter to a B grade, while the other high schools were unchanged – West Florida at an A ranking, Tate, Pensacola and Washington rated as B schools; and Pine Forest and Escambia rated as C schools.
Northview and Tate both actually earned more than enough points to receive an A rating, but both schools were penalized due to their at-risk student graduation rate.
Across the state, 8 percent of high school and “combination schools” received an A or a B in the 2012-13 school year, the state Department of Education said. The portion of high schools making the highest mark ticked up by one percentage point over 2011-12, to 48 percent, while 30 percent of schools made a B, slipping from 32 percent a year ago
“With more high schools earning A’s, it is clear that our teachers are succeeding in providing Florida students with a quality education,” Gov. Rick Scott said in a news release announcing the numbers.
But the high grades will also spark tougher standards under a State Board of Education rule, adopted in 2011, that requires the standards to rise if 75 percent of any group of schools makes the two highest marks. State officials said Wednesday this marked the first time the new rule has been used.
For example, high schools will now have to score 70 percent of the points available on the state’s grading system, up from 66 percent, to get an A. The standard will increase from 62 percent to 65 percent for a B, and there will be smaller increases in the scores necessary for C and D grades.
Education Commissioner Pam Stewart praised teachers and students for the progress.
“They are doing a good job, and it is really important that we continue to raise the bar as Florida his done, historically, over the years,” she said.
Stewart said that scores could still slip after new tests based on those standards are implemented because Common Core is expected to be more rigorous than the state’s current guidelines.
“I think it’s fair to say that, just as with this move on our high-school grading we are raising the bar, that’s what we’ll be doing in ‘14-’15,” she said.
The News Service of Florida contributed to this report.
Authorities Searching For Employee, $24K In Missing Bank Deposits
December 19, 2013
Authorities are searching for a Jay woman who allegedly disappeared after failing to make bank deposits for her employer over a two week period.
Dallas Mabire, 36, of Neal Jones Road, is wanted by the Brewton Police Department. Police say she failed to make $24,000 in bank deposits for the Discount Tobacco store in Brewton over the last couple of weeks.
Anyone with information on Mabire’s whereabouts is asked to call the Brewton Police Department at (251) 867-3212.
Search For Missing Woman Continues; Case Being Worked As Homicide
December 19, 2013
This story has been updated. Click here for the update.
The search is continuing for an Atmore that’s been missing for over three weeks, and authorities are working the case as a homicide until they find her.
The Escambia County (AL) Sheriff’s Office said 42-year old Marcie Brewton Morgan of Atmore last spoke to a family member on December 3 and was believed to be in the Saraland, AL, area at the time.
She is described as a Caucasian woman with an olive complexion, wavy dark brown hair, blue eyes, about 5-feet 4-inches tall, 150 pounds with a medium build. She may be driving a blue metallic 2001 Lincoln Town Car with a gray vinyl top and Alabama personalized license plate “ECB”.
The Escambia County (AL) Sheriff’s Office is working the case as a homicide until Morgan is located.
Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Marcie Brewton Morgan is asked to contact the Escambia County (AL) Sheriff’s Office at (251) 809-2154, their local law enforcement agency or 911.
Appeals Court Cuts Off Pensacola State Professor In Firing Case
December 19, 2013
Describing him as a “poster-child for vexatious litigants,” the 1st District Court of Appeal this week ordered a former Pensacola State College professor to stop filing motions in an already-decided case about his firing.
A three-judge panel also threatened to take further action if Robert Michael Ardis, who has represented himself in the appeals, continues firing off paperwork.
“There comes a point in every case that the losing party must accept the fact that the case is over and he or she did not prevail,” said the order issued Tuesday by judges L. Clayton Roberts, T. Kent Wetherell and Simone Marstiller. “That point has passed for Mr. Ardis with respect to this case and his firing, and despite his obvious dissatisfaction with our ruling in this case, we see no reason to waste any more of this court’s finite time and resources on Mr. Ardis’ frivolous claims pertaining to his firing. The appellate courts do not exist simply to allow litigants to vent against rulings with which they disagree, and the constitutional right of ‘access to the courts’ does not give litigants free rein to litigate and appeal frivolous claims ad infinitum.”
Pensacola State College fired Ardis after he returned from a sabbatical and presented the college with a master’s degree from an online “diploma mill,” the order said.
He unsuccessfully challenged the firing in arbitration, Escambia County circuit court and the 1st District Court of Appeal. The appeals court affirmed the circuit-court decision on Feb. 14. During the next month, Ardis filed 11 motions, leading the appeals court to order him on March 14 not to make additional filings unless directed by the court. Judges issued an order April 4 denying Ardis’ post-opinion motions and said it would not consider further motions. But this week’s order said Ardis continued making filings with the court.
by The News Service of Florida