OPINION PAGE 4
LOCAL, PAGE 11 Missing Tallassee teen found, returned to parents.
‘This old barn brings back memories. . .’
SPORTS, PAGE 12
The winning streak continues.
INSIDE
LOCAL FUNERAL ARRANGEMENTS, PAGE 2.
The Tallassee Tribune DEDICATED TO THE GROWTH AND PROSPERITY OF THE GREATER TALLASSEE AREA
TALLASSEE, AL 36078
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March 30, 2016
TALLASSEETRIBUNE.COM
VOL. 117, NO. 13
Miles sentenced to 41 months
STAFF REPORT TPI Staff
A former Tallassee Assistant Police Chief has been sentenced to almost four years in prison for beating a suspect and then lying to investigators about his attack. Chris Miles, 41, was sentenced to 41 months in prison for depriving a suspect of his
federally protected rights by beating the suspect with a phone book-sized packet of paper during an interrogation and then lying about the incident to an FBI agent investigating the matter. Miles was also sentenced for selling marijuana that he stole from the police evidence room. Miles pleaded guilty on Nov. 17, 2015, to one count
of deprivation of civil rights, two counts of false statements and one count of possession with intent to distribute. He was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Myron H. Thompson of the Middle District of Alabama. According to admissions made during his plea hearing, in April of 2013, while he was on duty as assistant police
chief, Miles beat a prisoner who was serving a sentence at Tallassee jail while Miles was interrogating that prisoner about uncharged crimes the prisoner was suspected of having committed. During the questioning, Miles grabbed a thick packet of copy paper and used it to strike the victim multiple times across the victim’s face and
Earth Day begins with town cleanup By MITCH SNEED Editor
The Earth Day 2016’s Team Up to Clean Up event is set for April 18-23. Now is the time to sign up your group or organization’s litter team. Litter teams can sign up to pick up litter around neighborhoods and businesses. Advanced Disposal is providing roll off containers for this year’s Team Up to Clean Up event. These containers will be at City Hall from 8 a.m. until noon, Saturday, April 23. This is for non-hazardous materials only. Parker Tire and Auto will take used oil, tires and batteries all week from 8 a.m. until 3 p.m. Electronic recycling will also be offered during this event. Drop for electronics will be the Tallassee Recreation Center on Thursday, April 2,1 from 8 a.m. until 3 p.m. “Electronic recycling will give citizens a chance to get rid of old and outdated household electronics without risking the water supply by sending these items to landfills,” said Whitney Hester with the Tallassee Chamber of Commerce. Items accepted will include: desktop or laptop computers, computer mouses, keyboards, modems, routers, DVD and See CLEANUP • Page 7
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Kat Raiford and her daughter Katelyn enjoyed Saturday’s 4th Annual Community Easter Egg Hunt on the greens of City Hall. Children ages 5 through 7 race to gather as many eggs as possible Saturday.
ON THE HUNT
Tallassee opens City Hall for annual community Easter egg hunt By CARMEN RODGERS Staff Writer
City Hall was filled with children both inside and out Saturday as the Community Easter Egg Hunt began at 2 p.m. The weather was a concern; however, showers stayed at bay long enough for the children to enjoy an afternoon Easter egg hunt. The lawn and many low-lying branches of the smaller trees on the greens were speckled with color as Councilman Terrel Brown and Councilman Rob Rygiel See EGG HUNT • Page 3
Lions Club’s Roaring 5k Run slated for April 9 By CARMEN RODGERS Staff Writer
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The Tallassee Lions Club, along with Neptune Technology Group has planned this year’s Roaring 5K Run. The 5K will benefit the community by offering eye exams and eyewear for children who may not otherwise have the access to those basic needs. Dr. Paris Mullins of Tallassee offers his services at a discounted price in order to help as many children as needed. Neptune is a leading employer in the Tallassee area and the company is very active in the community. The factory is offer-
ing discounted entry fees to its employees who choose to run in this year’s event. “This past year we went to Tallassee Southside Middle School and Tallassee Elementary and we were able to do eye checkups on students in those two schools,” said Laurie Rygiel, with the Tallassee Lions Club. “There were five students who needed our help getting full eye exams through optometrists. We also provided their glasses.” Not only does this event aid in offering eye care to middle and elementary schools, it also See RUN • Page 3
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Three injured in Sunday shooting Reeltown man now facing four counts of attempted murder STAFF REPORT TPI Staff
A Notasulga man is facing attempted murder charges after shooting into an occupied vehicle early Sunday morning, sending three people to the hospital. According to the Tallapoosa County Sheriff’s Department, Jody Wayne Gann, 26, of 17710 Highway 49 South, Notasulga, which is in the Reeltown com- Gann munity was charged with four counts of attempted murder and one count of shooting into an occupied vehicle. Officials say that Gann and the victims were traveling in separate vehicles on See SHOOTING • Page 7
By CARMEN RODGERS Tallassee Tribune
Two weeks ago a student from Tallassee High School voluntarily got into a vehicle after school and was not seen for 13 days. After 24 hours with no contact from the child, the Tallassee Police Department immediately opened an investigation into
INSIDE, PAGE 11 Updated information on the collaborative efforts of law enforcement and the safe return of missing Tallassee teen.
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head. Miles also repeatedly slapped the victim across the face and head with his hand. His abuse caused the victim to suffer bruising Miles
the whereabouts of the missing child. The first tool used by the TPD was the state-of-the-art surveillance system at the high school. With more than 75 cameras included in this surveillance system there are little to no areas of the school that are not visible by camera. “We had 10 cameras that caught the vehicle,” Stewart said. “One of those caught her getting into the vehicle, another one of those ten got a real good look at the license plate and we were able to zoom in and I had to tinker with it to get it right, but See SURVEILANCE • Page 7
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