By Staff
Gives false name as burglary suspect in Talladega County
By MARY-ALLISON LANCASTER Managing editor
An inmate who walked away from his work release site here last weekend was captured in Talladega County this week.
Joseph F. Berry, Jr., 30, was being held in the Escambia County Detention Center on charges of unlawful possession of marijuana, second degree. He was assigned to work at the Hurricane Relief Center in Flomaton.
Sheriff's officials said that Berry had stolen a truck from White's Tire and Towing in Flomaton. Some time around 10 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. on July 20, the Sylacauga Police Department responded to a burglary at 28 Martin Luther King Dr. in Sylacauga.
Upon arrival, police officials made contact with a white male who was allegedly a suspect in the burglary. When police asked the man for identification, he told officials his name was Brian Lee Atkins.
Officers took the male into custody as a suspect and found that the man was actually Berry, and he was wanted in Escambia County for escape, third degree. Berry was charged in Sylacauga for providing false information to a police officer.
Sgt. Monte McGougin said that Berry is currently in the Talladega County jail waiting to be transported to the Escambia County Detention Center.
Two other inmates still remain at large.
Fredrick D. Graves, 32, and Myron Paul Reese, 30, who were cleaning up at the jail, also walked away from their posts last weekend. Graves was in the Detention Center on charges of possession with intention to distribute cocaine, and Reese was charged with burglary, first degree.
McGougin said officials had no solid leads on where the two men might be.