Shultz still jailed; gets a bond

After being originally jailed with no bond, a Brewton man charged with sexual abuse I, sodomy I, rape I, incest and aggravated surveillance involving an under-age girl remains in the Escambia County Detention Center but was issued a $500,000 bond Friday afternoon.

Jack Clarence Shultz, 50, 33 Matthew Lane, was originally denied a bond on May 30 by District Judge Eric Coale. However, Judge Coale set a pretrial detention hearing, also known as an Aniah's Law hearing for Friday, June 2, to see if he was entitled to a bond.

Shultz appeared before Judge Coale Friday with his attorneys Earnie White and Cierra White.

Escambia County Sheriff's Investigator Brue Shue was the only witness called by District Attorney Steve Billy and he said the sheriff's office was first contacted by the Escambia County Department of Human Resources who told him the underage girl disclosed she had inappropriate sexual contact with Shultz. Shue also noted the alleged victim had been interviewed by the Child Advocacy Center.

Shue said he made contact with Shultz several times but Shultz never kept an appointment. He added that warrants were then issued for his arrest and Shultz was arrested in Lafayette, La., and brought back to Escambia County.

Shue also testified that the girl and girl's mother had told another investigator that Shultz threatened to kill the young girl and any law enforcement officer around.

White questioned Shue, noting that Shue was receiving second hand information and noted that while Shultz had been previously charged with child abuse and neglect, those charges were dismissed and Shultz was cleared by DHR.

White also asked Shue about Facebook and cellphone records and Shue said they had not been gone through at that time. He said the phone will be examined by homeland security and that he had the zip drives of Facebook but they have not been studied.

White asked Judge Coale for a continuance until the telephone and Facebook records could be reviewed.

Judge Coale noted that the law requires the Aniah's Law hearing to be held within a certain timeframe and noted he was going to take it under advisement.

White did call Shultz's wife, Tina Shultz, and Shultz's friend, Terry Gross, to the stand during the hearing.

Judge Coale issued his ruling later Friday setting Shultz's bond at $500,000. Stipulations should Shultz get out on bond state he is to have no contact with the alleged victim or any other child under the age of 18. Shultz also cannot leave the state of Alabama without court permission.