California man arrested for alleged Alabama securities violations

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- A California man was arrested in Modesto, Calif., for alleged violations of the Alabama Securities Act and is awaiting extradition to Alabama, according to the Alabama Securities Commission.
Louis John Mensonides allegedly sold an Alabama citizen two-year promissory notes to raise capital for the Imperial Rubber Holdings Inc., said Joe Borg, director of the Alabama Securities Commission and Ellen Brooks, district attorney for the 15th Judicial Circuit in Montgomery.
Mensonides, who made bond and is now awaiting extradition to Montgomery County, was charged with two counts for sale of unregistered securities and one count of for sale of securities by an unregistered agent. Charges were handed down in September 2010 by the Montgomery County Grand Jury, but the arrest wasn't made until Nov. 3.
"The ASC cautions potential investors to thoroughly scrutinize and research any investment opportunity or offer," the Alabama Securities Commission said in a statement announcing the arrest.
Anyone with inquiries concerning securities broker-dealers, agents, investment advisers, or other financial advisers and planners or suspected fraud can contact the commission.

Russellville City Council called "racists" for not issuing beer license to Muslim

RUSSELLVILLE, Al.
A lawyer for a Muslim denied a license to sell beer at a convenience store called the City Council racists after the council Monday declined to vote on issuing a license.
"The Russellville City Council are racists masquerading as five mild-mannered politicians with an agenda against blacks, Hispanics, non-Christians and Arabs," Billy Underwood, a lawyer representing Salah Salah, was quoted in The Times Daily.
The council declined to act on Salah's application for a license for TNS Mini Mart, citing opposition from members of South Side Baptist Church, which is 397 feet from the store.
"Race is not an issue when it comes to issuing licenses," Mayor Troy Oliver was quoted as saying. "We've issued alcohol licenses to a Vietnamese and to two or three Hispanics."

Mobile real estate agent charged with taking money from church

MOBILE, Al.
A Mobile real estate agent surrendered to authorities after she was charged with taking more than $47,000 from a local church, Cpl. Christopher Levy, police spokesman, said Tuesday.

Evelyn W. Mace

Evelyn W. Mace, 59, of Mobile, was charged with first-degree theft by deception involving money at the church where she was hired as a bookkeeper.
“They came and made a complaint after they found out that she had been stealing money from them,” Levy said.
Mace allegedly used the money to pay personal utility bills, to spend at the casinos on the Mississippi Gulf Coast and to have personal landscaping done, Levy said.
Mace, who was associated with Prudential Cooper & Co. Inc. Realtors, was not available for comment on Tuesday.
The First Independent Methodist Church in the 4500 block of Halls Mill Road hired Mace as its bookkeeper in 2009, Levy said.
The detectives were able to determine that the money had been taken between January 2009 and October this year, Levy said.
“They trusted her a lot and just authorized the use of blank checks and the use of an ATM card,” he said.
Church officials were not available for comment Tuesday. Mace was booked into Mobile County Metro Jail about 3:30 p.m. Monday and was released less than an hour later with bail set at $7,500, according to jail records. She was scheduled for a Dec. 5 court appearance, records showed.

Four arrested in drug charges in DeKalb County

Kelly Todd Willoughby

 

Jonathan Shane Smith

FORT PAYNE, Al.
After numerous complaints of drug activity, DeKalb County Sheriff's Deputies, Drug Task Force Agents, and Fyffe Police Department officers went to the home of Jonathan Shane Smith on Church Street in Fyffe Monday night and arrested Smith and three other people.
DeKalb County Sheriff Jimmy Harris said when officers approached the home they saw a man attempting to jump out of a back window.  
That man, Kelly Todd Willoughby of Crossville, was taken into custody. 
The other two individuals who were inside the residence, identified as Charles Dillon Wade of Dawson, and Angela Mae Hill of Fyffe, were also arrested.
All 4 suspects were  charged with unlawful possession of a controlled substance and unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia. 
Photos Courtesy Dekalb County Sheriff's Dept.

Angela Mae Hill

 

   Charles Dillon Wade

Patriot Award awarded to Dothan Police Chief Greg Benton

Courtesy of Dothan Police Dept.

 Dothan,Al.

Dothan Police Chief Greg Benton was recently nominated for the Patriot Award for service members for the support given to the family members of deployed soldiers by a member of the Dothan Police Department. Military officials presented this award to Chief Benton Tuesday afternoon. Congratulations to the Chief for receiving this commendation.