Escambia County Father And Son Charged With CARES Act Fraud
February 26, 2021
An Escambia County father and son have been charged with CARES Act fraud.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office Economic Crimes Unit charged 34-year old Antonio Raychouni Slocum Sr. and 19-year old Antonio Raychouni Slocum Jr. in the scheme.
Investigators have been investigating the father/son duo since Slocum Jr. was arrested in December 2020. Slocum Jr. was arrested with his mother Megan Slocum for their involvement in a scheme to defraud Navy Federal. Slocum Jr. and Slocum Sr.’s most recent charges are related to obtaining a CARES ACT loan from the Small Business Administration by using another individual’s stolen identity; which Slocum Sr.’s younger brother Ari’obasi Jenkins was also charged with back in December.
Slocum Jr. is charged with fraud and swindle of $50,000 or more, fraud-use ID of another without consent of $50,000 or more, fraud-money laundering $20,000 less than $100,000, and fraud-illegal use of a credit card. Slocum Sr. is charged with fraud and swindle of $50,000 or more, fraud-use ID of another without consent of $50,000 or more, fraud-money laundering $20,000 less than $100,000, and fraud-uttering a false instrument. Both remained in the Escambia County Jail without bond.
Investigators said more arrests are expected.
Tate Boys Tennis Comes From Behind To Beat Washington
February 26, 2021
Tate High School Boys tennis earned a come from behind 4-3 victory over Washington High School Thursday. Tate had key victories from Barry Harberson, Alex Grace, and Peyton Herrington. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
West Florida Baseball’s Andrew Robinson Signs With Huntington College
February 26, 2021
West Florida High School senior Andrew Robinson has signed with Huntingdon College in Montgomery, Alabama. Andrew is a two-year varsity letterman for the Jags who plays the corner infield and pitches.
“Robinson has worked hard on the field and in the classroom in order to earn this opportunity,” said Joe Rieland, West Florida head baseball coach.
Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Judge Denies Bond For Two Charged With Murder In Lawson Lane Shooting
February 25, 2021
A judge ruled Thursday that a man and woman accused of a February 1 murder on Lawson Lane in Cantonment will remain in jail without bond.
Jonathan Taylor Hobbs and Dawn Lucille Sluder are charged with first degree premeditated murder for allegedly shooting and killing 35-year old Danny Blackmon, Jr., as his 19-year old girlfriend, who is Sluder’s daughter, watched.
Both were denied bond Thursday during an arraignment hearing before Judge Jan Shackelford. They will be back in court in early May.
RELATED STORY: Grand Jury Indicts Two On Murder Charges In Cantonment Shooting Death
Pictured: Sluder was taken into custody on Muscogee Road following a shooting in Cantonment. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Cantonment Man Gets 24 Years For Traveling To Meet Underage Girl For Sex, Over 400 Child Porn Images
February 25, 2021
A Cantonment man was sentenced to state prison Thursday morning for trying to meet an underage girl for sex and possession of over 400 child pornography images.
Christopher James McElveen, Sr., 41, entered a plea to 20 counts of possession of certain images of child pornography and one count of traveling to meet a minor to engage in unlawful sexual conduct. Circuit Judge Linda Nobles sentenced McElveen to 24 years in prison and designated him as a sexual offender.
Using the profile name “Chris McElveen” on social media, McElveen initiated contact in March 2020, with an undercover investigator posing as girl under the age of 13. The investigator informed McElveen several times that his online persona was an underage girl. McElveen stated “I would prefer younger but its all good” and he initiated sexual conversation. His chats included statements that included “I’m okay with you”, “age and all” and comments that he has previously engaged in sexual contact with a seven-year old girl.
“McElveen sent several messages of his sexual intent, he began inquiring about if my parents we at home or at work and expressed wanting to meet. McElveen advised that he wished to get a hotel room for a few hours with the underage female, and once again named the sexual acts he wished to perform with the underage female,” the investigator wrote.
A meeting location was established on Thursday, April 2, and McElveen drove his gold GMC van to the location and sent a message to the undercover social media profile which stated “Im parked on the side”. He was taken into custody without incident, and a search warrant was executed at his residence at 801 Cedar Tree Lane.
Over 400 images of child pornography were located on McElveen’s computer and a thumb drive. The images depicted children as young as infants engaged in various sexual activities,
Police Chase Suspect To Be Charged With Attempted Murder, Also Charged With Battery On Three Officers
February 25, 2021
A 73-year old man is charged with battery on three offices in Florida, and now police say he will be charged attempted murder of an officer in Alabama. The man was involved ina police chase from Atmore ended in Escambia County, Florida, Wednesday afternoon.
Lem Roy Sanders of Atmore was booked into the Escambia County (FL) Jail on three felony counts of aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer. His bond was set at $150,000. Once extradited from Florida, Sanders will be charged with one count of attempted murder and one count of fleeing and attempted to elude in Alabama.
For a photo gallery, click here.
Wednesday afternoon, the Atmore Police Department responded to United Bank on West Nashville Avenue for a report of a man being disorderly and refusing to leave the premises. Officers arrived and attempted to speak to Sanders as he was sitting in his a 2000 Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck.
“When officers approached the suspect vehicle, the driver then fled away nearly striking an officer with the vehicle,” Atmore Police Chief Chuck Brooks said, and officers gave chase.
Once the vehicle crossed the state line, Sanders turned into the parking lot of the the Piggly Wiggly on Highway 97 in Davisville, about 1,500 feet south of the state line. In the parking lot, he allegedly struck an unmarked pickup truck occupied by three Atmore Police Department officers that were involved in the chase.
“APD officers then forcibly entered the vehicle by breaking out the driver’s side window to remove the driver from the vehicle,” Brooks said.
Sanders was evaluated on scene by Escambia County EMS but not transported to the hospital. He was arrested in the parking lot by the Escambia County (FL) Sheriff’s Office. The pickup truck he was driving was seized by the ECSO.
For a photo gallery, click here.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Water Leak Leads To Outage In Jacks Branch Road Area
February 25, 2021
Numerous Molino Utilities customers in the Jacks Branch Road area were without water part of Thursday as the utility worked to repair a leak.
Repair to the leak on Jacks Branch Road required that water service be turned off on Schifko, Vantage, Lavanda, Old Bridge, Perdido Lake Road, Perdido Lake Lane, Fish Hook, and part of Jacks Branch. At 1:40 p.m., Molino Utilities told NorthEscambia.com that the leak was repaired, and they were in the process of restoring water service.
Construction Begins On McDavid Solar Farm; Second Nearby Solar Site Still In The Works
February 25, 2021
On Wednesday, Gulf Power announced the start of construction on a huge solar farm near McDavid, as plans are still in the works for a second solar facility in the same area.
At 74.2 megawatts, the Cotton Creek Creek Solar Energy Center (graphic above) will generate enough electricity to power 15,000 homes annually, according to Gulf Power. The Escambia County Development Review Committee granted approval for the Cotton Creek solar farm in November 2020.
NorthEscambia.com was first to report in December 2019 that facility was planned for West Bogia Road. Documents show the project to be about 640 acres, only 353.18 acres of which will be disturbed. The development is in an area north of West Bogia Road between South Pine Barren Road and Highway 29, just west of Ray’s Chapel Baptist Church. Construction is expected to be completed by the end of the year.
Gulf Power is also currently seeking the necessary permits for the First City Solar Energy Center off Holland, Cox and Roach roads in McDavid. It will be 74.5 megawatts, also enough to power another 15,000 homes annually.
The First City Solar Center will encompass about 554 acres with about 458 acres to be disturbed for approximately 300,000 solar panels.
Both projects are expected to create 200-250 jobs during peak construction.
Gulf Power has also announced that construction is beginning on the 74.5 megawatt Blue Springs Solar Energy Center in Jackson County.
“As part of FPL, we’re ushering in a more sustainable future for Northwest Florida by delivering cleaner, lower-cost energy and increasing reliability while keeping costs down for our customers,” said Mike Spoor, Gulf Power vice president. “With each solar farm that we build, we’re reducing our carbon footprint and providing cleaner air for our region, ensuring we keep Northwest Florida beautiful for generations to come, while also benefiting the local economy with the contribution of hundreds of thousands of additional tax dollars.”
Pictured top: Plans for the Cotton Creek Solar Energy Center. Pictured below: Plans for the First City Solar Energy Center. NorthEscambia.com graphics.
Andrade Files ECUA Term Limit Bill, Days After Salzman Withdraws Her ECUA Bill
February 25, 2021
Florida House District 2 Rep. Alex Andrade on Wednesday filed a new bill to impose term limits for the Emerald Coast Utility Authority board, days after another ECUA bill was withdrawn.
Andrade’s bill states that anyone elected to the ECUA board for three consecutive terms would not be eligible to run for the next succeeding term.
District 1 Rep. Michelle Salzman filed an ECUA term limit bill earlier this year, but withdrew the bill last week. She called for an extensive operational audit of ECUA and other water utilities created by special acts to gain “a clear picture of how we will move forward with legislation.” The bill had received the support of the local Legislative Delegation comprised of Salzman, Andrade and Sen. Doug Broxson.
A 2018 grand jury report, which was not made public until September 2020, recommended term limits for ECUA. The grand jury found that a lack of term limits “has created a sense of complacency and has fostered an overreliance on the executive director and attorneys.”
“The only recommendation from the grand jury report that requires legislative action was term limits. After Rep. Salzman and Sen. Broxson decided to kill the bill without my input, I decided to propose a compromise and focus on the one grand jury recommendation that needed legislative action,” Andrade told NorthEscambia.com Wednesday night.
In order for Andrade’s bill to advance in the legislative process, a local bill certification form must be signed by Broxson stating it has been approved by a majority of the three-member delegation.
“I hope he signs the form saying he supports term limits,” Andrade said. “If we are for our constituents, we are going to support term limits. I have no idea why any representative in Northwest Florida would not support term limits.”
“I made a commitment to my constituents to promote good government whenever possible, and term limits are one of the best ways to inject new ideas and transparency into our system,” he said.
NorthEscambia.com file photo.
UWF Planning Modified, In-Person Spring 2021 Commencement
February 25, 2021
The University of West Florida is planning to go ahead with a modified spring commencement ceremony.
The Florida Board of Governors has announced that State University System of Florida institutions are permitted to host modified, in-person commencement ceremonies for Spring 2021 graduates. These ceremonies must meet certain criteria and guidelines as established by the Board of Governors.
The University of West Florida is actively developing a plan for in-person ceremonies, while keeping the health and safety of students, faculty, staff and families in mind, according to the university.
Additional details on the UWF Spring 2021 Commencement are expected to become available in the coming weeks.
Pictured: The University of West Florida is planning a modified, in-person commencement this spring that will look much different from this traditional ceremony in December 2018. NorthEscambia.com file photos.
