Atmore robbery suspect jailed

A Huntsville woman was scheduled to appear in a Madison County, Ala., courtroom yesterday (Wednesday) for a violation of probation hearing from a previous robbery charge, but instead was sitting in the Escambia County Detention Center in Brewton after being charged with robbery I in Atmore.

Therease Antoinette Fletcher, 30, 6117 Valley Park Drive NW, Huntsville, is accused of threatening a clerk with a gun at the Walmart in Atmore and demanding cash.

Atmore Police Chief Chuck Brooks said police were dispatched to the Walmart about 3:15 p.m. Monday in reference to an armed robbery of the store.

Brooks said Walmart officials said a female walked up to the service desk and told the cashier she was armed with a weapon and demanded cash. The suspect, later identified as Fletcher, fled the store on foot with an undisclosed amount of cash.

Brooks said officers later located Fletcher in a wooded area behind Oak Hill Cemetery.

During a bond hearing Tuesday before District Judge Eric Coale, Fletcher said she was on probation for marijuana possession and robbery III in Madison County.

She said she was unemployed and had no money in the bank and requested an appointed attorney. Coale granted her request and appointed the pubic defender's office to represent her.

Coale told her due to the nature of the crime being a Class A felony and the fact that she was on probation for robbery he was setting her bond at $250,000.

"Oh, my God," Fletcher replied.

She then asked Judge Coale what 10 percent of $250,000 was and Coale told her $25,000.

"I'll never leave this place," Fletcher said.

Coale also told Fletcher that if she gets out of jail she's not allowed to go onto Walmart property.

Court records show that Fletcher was originally charged with robbery I in Madison County and later pleaded guilty to burglary III on May 20, 2019. She received a suspended sentence and was placed on three years probation.

Records also show that her scheduled Aug. 25 hearing in Madison County was going to be Fletcher's second violation of parole hearing.