MEDIA RELEASE

For Immediate Release                                               August 4, 2015

Tips Lead to Arrest

Sheriff Jimmy Harris states as follows:

            Sheriff Jimmy Harris reports that on August 3rd the DeKalb County Drug Task Force Agent and Alabama State Fire Marshals went to a residence on County Road 127 Fort Payne to investigate reports of suspected drug activity at that residence. Once Drug Task Force Agents arrived they encountered Anthony Wayne Thomas and found him to have on his person a large quantity of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia. Thomas stated to agents that he lived at the address. The homeowner of the residence Marsha Seale arrived and Agents got consent to search the residence. During the search, agents found digital scales, and other drug paraphernalia relating to drug distribution and drug use. Four firearms were also found along with a chainsaw reported to be stolen. Anthony Wayne Thomas, 33 of Fort Payne was arrested and charged with Unlawful Possession on a Controlled Substance with the Intent to Distribute, Unlawful Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and Felon in Possession of a Firearm. Marsha Seale, 40 of Fort Payne was arrested and charged with Unlawful Possession of Controlled Substance, Unlawful Possession of Marijuana 2nd and Unlawful Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and other charges are pending.

On an unrelated case on August 3rd, two vehicles, a 1995 Jeep Wrangler and a 2001 Kawasaki Motorcycle were reported stolen from Chattanooga, TN on July 28, 2015. DeKalb County Deputies and Investigators got an anonymous tip about the location of the two stolen vehicles taken from Chattanooga. The Deputies and Investigators went to the residence on County Road 281 in the Dogtown area and recovered the two stolen vehicles. James Arsenault, 24 of Fort Payne was arrested and charged with Receiving Stolen Property.

Sheriff Harris states “We want to encourage everyone to continue to call or email your tips to our website www.dekalbcountysheriff.org. These tips that we received led us to the stolen vehicles and drugs in these two different locations. All of the tips we receive are confidential and they lead us to hundreds of arrests a year. Without your eyes and ears this would not be possible.”