Convicted felon arrested for rape

 Opp, Al.


A four-time convicted felon out on parole was arrested on Friday for allegedly raping an elderly Opp woman at knifepoint early Friday morning.

Opp Police Chief Nickey Carnley said officers responded to the Hardin Street area after a 911 call reporting the burglary and rape.
“After officers arrived, contact was made with the victim who stated that while asleep in the residence, a black male armed with a knifed had entered the residence through a window, demanded money and then raped the victim,” Carnley said. “The victim was able to flee the residence and seek help from a neighbor.”
The male was identified as 40-year-old Corey Darnell “Fred” Matthews of Opp.

MATTHEWS

Carnley said Matthews had already fled the scene when officers arrived, but they were able to locate him shortly before 9 a.m. Friday on Cannon Drive.
Matthews has a long criminal history including four prior felony convictions – three for robbery and one for distribution of a controlled substance.
District Attorney Walt Merrell said in 2001, Matthews pled guilty to the distribution charge and was given to a 20-year split sentence – five years in prison and 15 on probation. Matthews served the five years and was released.
In June 2008, Matthews’ probation was revoked after he was arrested on a shoplifting charge, leaving him to serve the remaining 15 years of the 20-year sentence. Records show Matthews served 18-months of the sentence before being paroled by the Department of Corrections on Dec.
7, 2009, Merrell said.
Matthews is now charged with burglary I, rape I, theft of property III, robbery I, possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia and held on a $106,000 bond for those charges.
Carnley said a hold has been placed on Matthews by the Alabama Board of Pardons and Parole, and is currently being held in the Covington County Jail.
OPD was assisted by the Covington County Sheriff’s Department, the state’s Department of Public Safety and Pardons and Parole.