Colbert man accused of theft

TUSCUMBIA — Authorities said a man is in jail after being charged with taking a tractor-trailer, a car and a motorcycle.

Jamie Edward Strickland, 24, 300 Church Loop Road, Cherokee, is charged with two counts of first-degree theft of property and one count of first-degree receiving stolen property, Colbert County Sheriff Ronnie May said.

Strickland is accused of taking a 2003 Freightliner from a residence on Old Lee Highway in Cherokee on Jan. 26.

"We had reports that he took a 2006 Honda dirt bike, and a 1992 Oldsmobile was taken from a residence in Sheffield," May said.

Strickland is being held in the Colbert County Jail on bail of $15,000.

TOM SMITH

Man charged in robbery

MUSCLE SHOALS — A Tuscumbia man has been charged in connection with the recent robbery of a local business.

Marcus Maurice Jackson, 25, 1699 Neil Morris Road, Tuscumbia, is charged with first-degree robbery, Muscle Shoals police Lt. Seig Mueller said Tuesday.

Jackson is charged in connection with the Jan. 14 armed robbery of the Sherwin-Williams store on Woodward Avenue.

Authorities said the robbery victim picked Jackson out of a lineup.

He is being held in the Colbert County Jail on previous theft and burglary charges from Colbert County.

TOM SMITH

Man pleads guilty to sex crimes

TUSCUMBIA — A Muscle Shoals man has pleaded guilty to two of 11 sexual offenses after DNA proved he was the father of a baby conceived during rape.

Melvin Leon Watson Jr., 42, 185 Southern Blvd., pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual-related crimes and was sentenced to 25 years each, with the sentences to run concurrently, Colbert County Chief Assistant District Attorney Kyle Brown said.

He said the plea agreement was reached last week.

The allegations involved a girl who was in the sixth grade when the crimes began, authorities said. The girl told investigators the offenses occurred from 2008-11.

Watson was arrested in March 2012. He remains in the Colbert County Jail.

TOM SMITH

ARRESTS

Franklin County

• Aaron Hooper, 35, Hook Street, Tuscumbia; third-degree theft of property, third-degree burglary and criminal trespassing.

• Michael Wellington, 35, 26th Street, Sheffield; third-degree burglary, third-degree theft of property and criminal trespassing.

• Byron Monken, 31, Kidd Road, Haleyville; 10 counts of attempted second-degree manufacturing a controlled substance and one count of first-degree manufacturing a controlled substance.

• Britany Morrison, 27, Town and County Trailer Park, Alabama 24, Russellville; 10 counts of attempted second-degree manufacturing a controlled substance and one count of first-degree manufacturing a controlled substance.

• Jeffrey Thompson, 20, 215 Scoggins Drive, Tuscumbia; first-degree theft of property and third-degree burglary.

Colbert County sheriff

• William Harold Kimbrough III, 35, 5035 Ricks Lane, Tuscumbia; grand jury indictments for five counts of second-degree forgery and two counts of unlawful possession of a controlled substance.

• Scott Eugene Boyd, 35, 551 Lakewood View Drive, Muscle Shoals; grand jury indictments for unlawful manufacturing a controlled substance and unlawful possession of a controlled substance.

• Tammy Rhodes, 50, 295 Lauderdale 149, Waterloo; unlawful possession of a controlled substance.

• Lathan Anderson Handley, 28, 910 E. Second St., Tuscumbia; grand jury indictments for unlawful possession of a controlled substance and unlawful distribution of a controlled substance.

• Jason Byron Harvey, 37, 120 Wood Ave., Sheffield; grand jury indictments for unlawful distribution of a controlled substance and unlawful possession of a controlled substance.

• Kenneth Leroy Hollifield, 20, 2809 E. 10th St., Sheffield; two counts of second-degree theft of property and one count of second-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument.

REPORTS

Colbert County sheriff

Thefts

• A trailer and 2012 Polaris four-wheeler were taken from a residence on Baker Road, Tuscumbia.

• A water heater, trailer, truck bed and air conditioning unit were taken from a residence on Underwood Mountain Road, Tuscumbia.

Burglaries

• A welder, drills, grinders, saws, nail guns and other equipment were taken from a residence on U.S. 43, Tuscumbia.

Recovered property

• A 2009 all-terrain vehicle reported stolen was recovered inside the old Barton Elementary School, U.S. 72, Cherokee.

• A 2006 Honda dirt bike reported stolen was recovered at Cane Creek Landing, Tuscumbia.

Lauderdale County sheriff

Theft

• Jewelry, including a birthstone tie clip, necklaces and three diamond rings, were taken from a residence in the 1900 block of Lauderdale 51, Rogersville.

• A radio was taken from a residence in the 400 block of Congress Street, Florence.

• Copper wiring and cabinets were taken from a residence in the 2000 block of Lauderdale 60, Florence.

Criminal mischief

• A mailbox was damaged at a residence on Lauderdale 27, Florence.

• A mailbox was damaged at a residence on Parkwood Street, Florence.