Police officer pleads guilty in criminal case

By Staff
Melissa Cason
Former Red Bay Police Officer Lesly Adams pled guilty Friday to one count of third-degree receiving stolen property.
District Attorney Joey Rushing said Adams, 27, of Belmont, Miss., pled guilty to having a stolen air compressor in his possession and selling the item to someone else.
Adams was charged with one count of theft, burglary and receiving stolen property.
"We were unable to prove the theft or burglary charges," Rushing said. "And the one item we could prove to turned out to be a misdemeanor charge."
Adams was sentenced to one year in jail suspended for two years, and he was required to give up his Alabama Police Officer Standard and Training Commission certification.
"We felt it was important for Mr. Adams to give up his police officer certification," Rushing said.
Adams was terminated from the Red Bay Police Department at the time of the alleged thefts, but was terminated before his arrest for insubordination.
Adams' charges stemmed from information given to investigators with the Russellville Police Department during last year's storage building theft investigation. However, only the misdemeanor charge could be corroborated so the theft and burglary charges were dropped.
"All parties involved with the Adams case were contacted and approved the plea agreement," Rushing said.
Rushing said Ralph Edwards, 43, and Kim Edwards, 39, both of 269 Chiggerhill Road in Hackleburg, each face numerous counts of burglary and theft in the storage building cases.
"All together Ralph and Kim Edwards face 34 counts of various theft charges in connection to the storage building cases," Rushing said.
Rushing said the Edwards' cases are a priority to his office, and he expects the cases to go to trial sometime this year.
"Right now we have a capital murder case set for June," Rushing said. "So, once that case is behind us, our next priority is to take the storage building case to trial."