Operation Anything For A Buck Suspect Convicted
August 16, 2013
A man arrested during the “Anything for a Buck” undercover operation in 2011 has been convicted.
Erick Anthony Fluker was convicted of trafficking in illegal drugs by an Escambia County Jury. He faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 25 years in state prison when he is sentenced September 19 by Judge Jan Shackelford.
Fluker was arrested during the undercover “Operation Anything for a Buck”. The storefront was an eight-month operation between the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, and other law enforcement agencies along with the First Circuit State Attorneys Office.
The operation recovered over 270 firearms, as well as drugs and stolen property ranging from jewelry, tools, cameras, and other electronic devices. A total of 75 people were arrested in connection with the undercover operation.
Prosecutors said Fluker went into the undercover storefront on June 22, 2011, and sold hydrocodone pills to undercover officers.
Fluker is awaiting trial in four more cases associated with the undercover operation. In those pending cases, he faces two 25-year minimum mandatory sentences, one 15-year minimum mandatory sentence and an additional three-year minimum-mandatory sentence.
Braves Power Past Pensacola
August 16, 2013
Tommy La Stella blasted a two run homer with two outs in the top of the seventh inning completing, a three-run comeback for the Mississippi Braves in a 4-3 win over the Pensacola Blue Wahoos on Thursday night at Pensacola Bayfront Stadium.
Mississippi trailed 3-0 after a three-run home run from Yorman Rodriguez in the last of the third, but scored in three straight innings starting in the fifth against Pensacola starter Josh Smith. In the fifth, four straight hitters reached for the Braves with two outs, culminating in a two-out single from Omar Luna.
An inning later, Edward Salcedo smacked his 12th round-tripper of the year to cut the deficit to 3-2. La Stella, who tied the game in the ninth on Wednesday with a solo homer, blasted a two-run shot off of Smith to give the Braves their first lead of the day at 4-3.
Smith took the loss for Pensacola, falling to 9-9 on the season. The right-hander struck out eight batters in seven innings of work, but he yielded four runs on 10 base hits.
Mississippi starter Mitch Atkins limited Pensacola to just three runs, all on the homer from Rodriguez, in his seven innings of work. Atkins improved to 5-1 as he struck out six and allowed six hits.
James Hoyt picked up his first save of the season by tossing the final two frames for the Braves. In the ninth inning, Ryan LaMarre doubled and moved to third with one out, but Hoyt struck out Josh Fellhauer and got Brandon Short to ground out to third to end the contest.
Having dropped five straight games, the Blue Wahoos will turn to the Reds top pitching prospect Robert Stephenson who will take the ball in his Double-A debut on Friday night. Michael Lee (7-8, 4.02) will get the start for the Braves with first pitch scheduled for 7 p.m.
One Injured In Crash Versus Tree
August 16, 2013
One person was injured when he struck a tree Thursday afternoon in Cantonment.
The accident happened about 3:45 p.m. on Hidden Terrace Drive off Old Chemstrand Road. The driver of a Dodge Ram apparently lost control, ran off the roadway and hit a tree. He was transported by ambulance to an area hospital. His condition was not available.
The Florida Highway Patrol, Escambia County EMS and the Cantonment Station of Escambia Fire Rescue responded to the crash.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Smith, click to enlarge.
Billy Charles Crocker
August 16, 2013
Billy Charles Crocker, age 48, a resident of Pensacola, passed away on August 12, 2013.
Bill is survived by his wife of 28 years, Starr M. (Farrell) Crocker; son, Christopher R. Crocker and spouse Michele; daughter, Morgan M. Crocker; granddaughter, Nala G. Crocker; parents, Hugh and Samra Crocker of Lumberton, MS; Barbara Stonebarger of Carrollton, TX; Joseph and Janice Farrell of Slidell, LA; sister, Connie Pearson and partner Calvin Kersey of Weirton, WV; brothers, Jerry Young and spouse Elizabeth of Upper Marlboro, MD; Richard Crocker and spouse Linda of Plano, TX; Patrick Crocker and partner Justin Guiadotti of Euless, TX, Joseph Farrell, Jr. and spouse Angelle of Slidell, LA; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Services were held at Pine Summit Baptist Church on Friday, August 16, 2013.
Bill is also survived by his beloved pets Bear, Jac, Outback and his grandpup Buster.
His favorite Bible verse is Matthew 4:19, ”And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
Tracking Tropical Storm Erin
August 16, 2013
Tropical Storm Erin has formed off the coast of Africa Thursday. Some strengthening is forecast during the next several days.
Complete information on the storm is in the graphic above, and computer models are below.
Wahoos Fall 3-2 In 14
August 15, 2013
Down to their final out in the ninth inning, the Mississippi Braves tied the game on a solo homer and went on to win on a wild pitch in the 14th inning 3-2 over the Pensacola Blue Wahoos on Wednesday night at Pensacola Bayfront Stadium.
In the 14th inning, Loek Van Mil walked the leadoff hitter Greg Golson, and then exited the game with an apparent injury. Mississippi loaded the bases on a single and a walk against Pensacola’s new pitcher Drew Hayes, who then uncorked a wild pitch, allowing Golson to scamper home with the eventual winning run. Van Mil was charged with the loss for Pensacola, falling to 0-8 on the year.
Ryne Harper picked up his ninth save of the year with a 1-2-3 bottom of the 14th inning, making a winner of Gary Moran who improved to 2-2 with three scoreless innings of relief in extra innings.
Extras were made necessary thanks to Tommy La Stella’s two-out homer off Trevor Bell in the top of the ninth inning. It was the first blown save for Bell this season in 14 chances for Pensacola.
The Wahoos were held to just one hit through seven innings and found themselves down 1-0 headed to the eighth. However, the Wahoos found success against Shae Simmons as Josh Fellhauer gave Pensacola a brief 2-1 lead with a two-run double down the left field line.
The lone run in the game prior the eighth came on a controversial play at the plate in the fourth inning as La Stella somehow avoided a tag of catcher Tucker Barnhart at the plate on a Christian Marrero single and reached back to slap the plate ahead of Barnhart’s second attempted tag.
Both starters were strong in the game, although neither factored in the decision. For Pensacola, Tim Crabbe gave up just a run on seven hits in six innings while establishing a new season-high with nine strikeouts. Gus Schlosser limited the Wahoos to one hit over six frames, striking out four and walking three.
Pensacola will look to snap its four-game losing streak on Thursday night with a 7:00 p.m. first pitch. Josh Smith (9-8, 3.60) takes the ball for the Wahoos against the Braves’ Mitch Atkins (4-1, 2.65).
Century Town Council President Target Of Extortion Investigation, No Charges Filed
August 15, 2013
A Century Town Council member was the target of a now concluded extortion investigation, but no charges were filed after the State Attorney’s Office determined there was insufficient evidence that any crime had occurred.
According to documents obtained by NorthEscambia.com, a Century husband and wife, Harold and Denise Sanderson, made the extortion allegation on June 7 against Century Town Council President Ann Brooks. Brooks had previously filed a grand theft charge against the Sandersons’ daughter, 36-year old Sabrina Beverly Sanderson, claiming she stole an A/C-heater window unit after being evicted from a rental home owned by Brooks.
Brooks later presented the Sandersons with a letter offering to drop the charges for a $1,000 payment, an apology, and a signed easement allowing the Town of Century to install a gas line across a portion of their property. That letter prompted the extortion investigation after a complaint was filed with the Escambia County Sherrif’s Office.
Brooks told NorthEscambia.com that she felt like the extortion claim was made as “retaliation” or to make her “look bad” and “cause problems”. She denied committing any crime, as the State Attorney’s Office also concluded.
The Eviction And Theft Allegations
In February 2013, Brooks filed a report with the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office. Brooks had just evicted Sabrina Sanderson from her rental home at 811 Hecker Road and reported that her A/C-heater window unit valued at just under $400 had been stolen by Sanderson, along with a range hood. The heating and cooling unit had been sitting uninstalled on the floor of the residence.
Deputies made contact with Sanderson who said she took the unit because the door to the residence would not lock. Sanderson said she was afraid the unit would be stolen, and she would be accused of the crime. She also said she took the heating and cooling unit because Brooks still had her $1,000 deposit and would not return it to her after she moved out of the rental home. She denied stealing the range hood.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office seized the A/C-heater unit from Sanderson and returned it to Brooks.
Brooks then advised that she wished to pursue charges against Sabrina Sanderson, who was subsequently arrested for grand theft and released from the Escambia County Jail on a $5,000 bond.
Escambia Building Inspector Cuts Fines Against Brooks
Escambia County provides code enforcement within the town limits of Century under an agreement approved by the Century Town Council.
On December 27, 2012 the Escambia County Building Inspections Department issued a violation notice to Brooks ordering her to “cease and desist” all construction work at her 811 Hecker Road rental property. She was directed to report to the Century Town Hall for a construction review.
An initial fine of $1,000 was set by a building inspector. That fine was later reduced to $100 by the building inspections department supervisor, according to Bill Pearson, Escambia County spokesman. “A notice was sent to Brooks and the fine was quickly paid via check,” he said. She was accessed a $50 fine for unlicensed contracting and an additional $50 fine for unpermitted construction. The building inspector was, according to county records, allowed access to the rental home by Sabrina Sanderson.
Building official Lynn Adams told an Escambia County Sheriff’s Office investigator that then Building Inspections Director Amru Meah reduced council President Brooks’ fine amount without indicating a reason. Adams told the investigator that fines can be reduced, but it would be “uncommon” for a fine to be reduced from $1,000 to $100.
“I never spoke to him,” Brooks said about Meah’s reduction of her fine. “As far as I knew, he did not know that I am a council member. I thought they reduced the fine because I was cooperative and because I had never had a problem with a violation before.”
The Letter
In a letter dated May 9, 2013, Brooks indicated that she would drop the criminal charges against Sabrina Sanderson for stealing her air conditioner and range hood if three conditions were met: (1) her parents signed a utility easement for a Town of Century gas line (2) a $1,000 payment for damage to the floor in the Hecker Street rental home, and (3) Sabrina Sanderson would make an apology for “taking my property and her spiteful text messages”.
Brooks later said she asked for the utility easement on behalf of the town because she had been informed by Mayor Freddie McCall that the Sandersons had already refused to the sign the easement, inhibiting the forward moving progress of a town gas project.
The Sandersons’ Response
Harold Anderson told deputies that his wife, Denise Sanderson, picked up their daughter from her job at Century Care Center on May 3 and took her to Brooks CPA office on North Century Boulevard. Denise Sanderson then provided Brooks with two $500 checks, for a total of $1,000, as requested in the letter. At that time, they were unable to contact Century Mayor Freddie McCall, but the Sanderson husband and wife agreed to, and subsequently did, sign the town gas easement for their property at 7505 North Century Boulevard.
Harold Sanderson later decided the letter, the $1,000 payment and the signed gas line easement amounted to extortion and filed the criminal complaint. Denise Sanderson stopped payment on the two checks on May 10, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
When the checks did not clear her bank, Brooks called Harold Sanderson and advised she would not be dropping the charges against his daughter, according to an Escambia County Sheriff’s Office report.
Sanderson’s Criminal Charges
The criminal charges against Sabrina Sanderson were dropped on May 30, 2013, according to court records. The State Attorney’s Office said the case was dismissed due to insufficient evidence that Sanderson had committed the alleged crime.
State Attorney’s Office Investigation
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office case files regarding the extortion complaint against Brooks were delivered to the State Attorney’s Office on July 1. On July 23, Assistant State Attorney Greg Marcille indicated that there would not be sufficient evidence to charge Brooks with a crime, and the case was closed.
Public Records Request
On July 25, two days after the case was closed, the State Attorney’s Office provided NorthEscambia.com with a copy of their documents related to the Brooks case, including her letter offering to drop criminal charges in exchange for the apology, $1,000 and the signed gas easement. The documents were provided in response to a NorthEscambia.com public records request.
As part of our investigation into the claims, NorthEscambia.com also made an official written public records request July 31 to the Town of Century for any documents related to the utility/gas easement between the Town of Century and Harold or Denise Sanderson, with the exception of documents (including the actual easement) on file with the Escambia County Circuit Clerk The request was sent to the Town of Century official email addresses belonging to Mayor Freddie McCall, Town Clerk Leslie Gonzalez and Council President Ann Brooks with a request to reply by August 2.
A few hours later, Gonzalez responded:
“Upon review of the Town’s records I do not find that the Town has any documents that you have requested. Also, upon discussing this matter with Mayor McCall, he does not have any records which you requested.
“The only document the Town has regarding the Sanderson’s easement is the actual Utility Easement.
I have not contacted Ann Brooks with respect to your request; however, I am sure that she will respond to you directly if she has any public records that are within the scope of your request.”
The email response by Gonzalez was also sent to the official town emails of McCall and Brooks.
On the afternoon of Friday, August 2, the requested deadline for the public request, NorthEscambia.com contacted Brooks by phone. She advised that she did not have any documents that would fulfill our request.
The following Monday, August 5, Brooks emailed NorthEscambia.com a copy of her letter offering to drop criminal charges in exchange for the apology, $1,000 and the signed gas easement. In the correspondence sent from her accounting office email account, Brooks wrote:
“I am attaching a personal agreement with the Sanderson’s which I didn’t think was subject to your public records request because it was personal correspondence, but I requested a legal opinion and was just advised that it would probably fall within the purview of your request.”
New Burlington Coat Factory Store Now Hiring
August 15, 2013
[Updated] A new Burlington Coat Factory store opening soon in Pensacola is now hiring with the assistance of Workforce Escarosa.
The off-price apparel and home furnishings retailer is hiring retail associates and supervisors. The positions offer an associate discount, competitive wages and benefits, paid time off and a company-matched 401k.
Interested individuals must first apply online at www.burlingtoncoatfactory.com for positions with the Pensacola store. After completing the online application and assessment, applicants are invited to attend a one-day hiring event on Friday, August 16, between 8:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. inside the Amos Performance Studio on the Pensacola State College Main Campus located at 1000 College Blvd. in Pensacola. Representatives from Burlington Coat Factory will be on-site at the event reviewing applications and conducting interviews.
The new Burlington Coat Factory will be located at University Town Plaza, the site of the former University Mall on Davis Highway. The store is expected to open in October.
Courtesy photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Chloe Channell Done On ‘America’s Got Talent’; She’s Singing Again Friday At Olive
August 15, 2013
She wowed America and the judges for weeks on American’s Got Talent, but when it came down to the wire Wednesday night, everyone’s favorite 11-year old super-enthusiastic country girl was headed back to Pace.
“Chloe was electric last night on America’s Got Talent,” The Band Perry tweeted about her Tuesday night cover of their hit “Done” live at Radio City Music Hall in NYC.
The Band Perry and America had to wait literally until the final seconds of Wednesday night’s results show to find out if Chloe was done. Chloe and Taylor Williamson, as the fourth and fifth place acts from Tuesday night, faced the judges’ vote to see who would continue on to the America’s Got Talent semifinals.
Shock Jock Howard Stern and comedian Howie Mandel voted for Williamson, while supermodel Heidi Klum and singer Melanie Brown voted for Chloe. With a judge’s tie, the decision went to the yet unknown America’s vote as the closing credits rolled. After a stage hand ran out with the results envelope, host Nick Cannon read the verdict — Williamson was moving on and Chloe was headed home.
“I want to thank you all for everything,” Chloe said Wednesday night via Facebook. “This is only the beginning. The out pour of support has been amazing.”
Chloe Channell will be back on a local stage Friday night at 6:30 at her church as Olive Baptist presents the “Opry at Olive”, an event scheduled before Chloe’s moment in the national spotlight. The benefit concert for the Olive Ministry Village will feature a mixture of bluegrass and folk music from the Sawmill Band and the voice talents of Chloe Channell. Admission is free, but a love offering will be taken.
Pictured: Chloe Channell during a going away party in Pace before her trip to Radio City Music Hall in New York City. NorthEscambia.com photo by Kristi Smith, click to enlarge.
Prayer Walk Held At Molino Park Elementary School
August 15, 2013
The annual back to school Prayer Walk was held Wednesday evening at Molino Park Elementary School. Dozens of students and adults prayed for the Lord’s blessings on their upcoming school year.
This year’s prayer walk, led by Highland Baptist Church, took on extra meaning as the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office continues their search for suspects that sometime last Saturday night vandalized the school and stole many thousands of dollars worth of computers and other electronics used in the school’s educational programs.
Pictured: A student prayer walk Wednesday evening at Molino Park Elementary School. Courtesy photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.