Work crew jailed for illegal drugs

Four members of an out-of-town crew working on cell phone towers in the area ended up in the Escambia County Detention Center on drug charges after East Brewton police seized 3.1 grams of methamphetamine, 29.3 grams of marijuana, Kratom and drug paraphernalia.

According to reports released from the East Brewton Police Department, Officer Brandon Mealer pulled over a vehicle for speeding that stopped in the Fred's parking lot. The officer reported smelling the odor of marijuana and the K-9 dog alerted on the vehicle.

The driver, identified as Jason Matthew McDonald Thompson, 40, 180 County Road 1016, Montevallo, Ala., was charged with unlawful possession of marijuana I and unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia.

Passengers Jonathan Anthony Cardona, 26, 330 Gayesburg Drive, Lawrenceville, Ga., Jason Timothy Moore, 42, 16529 County Road 51, Jemmison, Ala., and Geoffrey Melton, 26, 3474 Sandhill Court, Lawrenceville, Ga., were also arrested.

Cardona was charged with unlawful possession of marijuana II and unlawful possession of a controlled substance for Kratom. Moore was charged with unlawful possession of marijuana II and unlawful possession of a controlled substance for meth. Melton was charged with unlawful possession of marijuana II.

Police also reported seizing a large quantity of THC oil in the vehicle that has been sent to a lab to see if the THC level is high enough in Alabama for additional charges. THC is a chemical found in marijuana and hemp that has certain legal limits in Alabama.

Other drug arrests

An East Brewton man was arrested Dec. 19 on multiple charges that included counterfeit money, possession of a forged instrument and unlawful possession of a controlled substance.

Frank James Williams, 31, 747 Williamson St., Apartment B-2, was charged with possession of a prescription drug without a prescription, possession of a controlled substance and possession of counterfeit money.

Police initiated a traffic stop on Williams with knowledge he had an outstanding warrant for his arrest out of Conecuh County. The K-9 dog alerted on the vehicle and officers found a large bottle of prescription cough syrup for which Williams had no prescription. Officers also reported seizing two counterfeit $100 bills from his possession.

Separate traffic stops Dec. 31 led to the arrests of two East Brewton men on charges of unlawful possession of marijuana II.

Melton Mitchell Jr., 28, 204 Horton Ave., and Chance Dalton Werthen, 23, 747 Williamson St., were both arrested after officers found a small amount of marijuana inside their vehicles following the separate traffic stops.