Teens arrested at Red Bay prom
SHEFFIELD- Three Red Bay teens were taken into custody Friday night while attending the Red Bay High School junior/senior prom at the Webster Inn and Suites in Sheffield, authorities said.
Authorities from both the Sheffield and Red Bay police departments were alerted to handle the situation.
Sheffield police investigators said Devon Wells, 18, of 570 Tishomingo 864, Golden, Miss., was arrested and charged with being a minor in possession of alcohol.
Authorities from the Red Bay police department were on the scene chaperoning and approached Wells about his alleged alcohol usage.
Upon further investigation, authorities found a large cooler in Wells’ vehicle full of alcoholic beverages.
A 17-year old juvenile associated with Wells was also taken into custody for being under the influence of alcohol.
In a separate case at the same place, Sheffield authorities said Evan Trent Robinson, 18, of 905 4th Street, Red Bay was arrested and charged with unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia and second-degree marijuana.
School officials said Robinson had transferred schools late in the semester, but still was able to meet the requirements needed to attend the Red Bay prom.
Investigators said a person who had nothing to do with the prom festivities stopped by and allegedly dropped off the drugs to Robinson inside the hotel lobby.
Authorities said Robinson was caught with the drugs by officials chaperoning the prom and taken to the proper authorities.
Sheffield police were unable to track down the person who made the initial delivery.
Red Bay Chief Jana Jackson said officers from the Red Bay department patrol the prom every year and believes enforcing a zero tolerance for drugs and alcohol to be a top priority.
“Even though the prom is usually out of the county, we still like to go and patrol events such as the prom that are associated with our community,” she said. “For the past three years the Red Bay High School prom has taken place at the Webster in Sheffield and the event has always been well chaperoned by the principal and teachers. Unfortunately we had an incident this year and had to enforce the law. When kids come to these type events, they are not likely to get away with these type things.”
