Former Red Bay officer charged in theft cases

By Staff
Melissa Cason
A former Red Bay Police Officer found himself on the other side of the law yesterday after turning himself into authorities.
Russellville Police Chief Chris Hargett said Lesly Adams, 26, of 331A Sand Street in Belmont, Miss., was taken into custody for his alleged involvement in a rash of storage building thefts.
"The arrest stems from a search done on his Red Bay apartment last week," Hargett said. "The items found in the apartment, we believe, we taken from the Red Bay area and Mississippi."
Hargett declined to elaborate what role Adams may have played in the burglaries, other than saying he was charged with receiving stolen property first degree.
Red Bay Mayor Jeff Reid said Adams was a member of the Red Bay Police Department for two years before being terminated in December for reasons unrelated to this investigation.
According to the Alabama Criminal Code, first-degree receiving stolen property is a Class C felony, which is punishable with one year and one day in prison upon conviction.
The storage building thefts, which spanned several months, two counties and two states, are still under investigation and more arrests could be pending.
Adams was released from custody yesterday afternoon on $7,500 bond.
An apartment at Village Green Apartments in Red Bay, which was registered in Adams' name, was searched by local, county, state and federal authorities last week.
Adams was not charged immediately following the search.
Ralph Cloe Edwards Jr., 42, and his wife, Kimberly Edwards, 37, both of 1663 County Line Church Road, in Haleyville, were arrested before Christmas and charged with four counts of third-degree burglary and four counts of first-degree receiving stolen property.