$1 million bond for trafficking

An Atmore man is being held on $1 million bond for multiple charges including trafficking synthetic cannabis (spice) and faces prior charges that led to the traffic stop Sept. 9.

Charlton Orlando Jones, 32, 705 E. Ridgeley St., was charged with trafficking, unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia, attempting to elude and resisting arrest.

Atmore Police Chief Chuck Brooks said police, along with agents from the Alabama Drug Task Force, took Jones into custody.

Brooks said Jones had outstanding warrants in Escambia County (Ala.) for his arrest and was seen driving a car near the area of America Drive. As an officer attempted to initiate a traffic stop to serve the warrants on Jones and he fled.

Brooks noted during the pursuit, the officer observed Jones throwing items from the car that was later identified as a controlled substance.

He said the officer observed Jones enter a private residence off of Martin Luther King Avenue where he ran into an air conditioner unit causing damage.

Brooks said the controlled substance found was about 1,186 grams of spice with a street value of $24,000.

During a bond hearing Sept. 10 before District Judge Eric Coale, Jones filled out an affidavit showing he had no job, no income and no assets. Judge Coale told Jones he was going to appoint the public defender's office to represent him.

Jones said every time he tried to contact the public defender's office in the past they didn't show up. Coale told Jones that an attorney with the public defender's office came to see him but he didn't show up. He also told Jones he had a failure to appear warrant from a previous arrest. Jones said the public defender's office was supposed to bring him the paperwork while he was in prison.

Judge Coale set Jones' bond at $1 million on the new charges and ordered no bond on the failure to appear.