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BY KELLI PEACOCK DUNN
News Editor

A Blountstown woman was booked into the Calhoun County Jail Wednesday, accused of burglarizing an ex-boyfriend's home.

Carla Lea Causey, 32, has been charged with burglary of a structure, grand theft and criminal mischief.

According to the Calhoun County Sheriff's Office, Dep. Jody Hoagland responded to a home on Garrett Drive in Altha Christmas Day. A couple at the home reported they returned to find their front yard scattered with broken dresser drawers and clothing. Inside the home, the living room furniture had been overturned and the kitchen was a mess with garbage dumped on the floor. A pair of partially burnt boxer shorts were also discovered. A woman at the home said she was missing an Ipod, an MP3 player, a camo pellet gun, a Sony PS3 and several unopened Christmas presents. A witness reported seeing Causey at the residence throwing numerous items out the front door.

Dep. Hoagland contacted Causey who allegedly admitted to being at the residence, but claimed she was there with her ex and the woman who resided there with him. She further stated she got into an altercation with the woman, but left only with the presents her ex-boyfriend had given her.

After further investigation, a warrant was issued for Causey's arrest. She was booked into the Calhoun County Jail and given a conditional release.

The County Record is trying to confirm the first baby of the new year for Calhoun County. An Altha baby was born on January 2 at 7:56 a.m. If anyone has had or knows of a Calhoun County baby born between Jan. 1 and this time on Jan. 2, please let us know immediately so we can announce the New Year baby! Call 674-5041 or email news@thecountyrecord.net

When The County Record sent the press release out two days ago about the nationwide search for a "Jane Doe" suspected child pornographer, by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), we had no idea how close to home the search would lead. Fortunately, no one from Calhoun County was involved, however, a woman in nearby Okaloosa County has been arrested on federal charges for child pornography production.

Corine Danielle Motley, 25, was arrested by HSI Pensacola special agents and Northwest Florida Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force members late Wednesday evening, hours after HSI issued a public appeal for assistance to identify "Jane Doe."

"The quick identification of the victim and suspect in this case demonstrates the power of the press, social media and the general public in helping solve these cases," said ICE Director John Morton. "Literally hours after we asked the public for their assistance in identifying Jane Doe, a tip came in that led to her identification and arrest. There is nothing more satisfying than knowing that, due to these efforts, a child is now safe and her tormentor now in custody."

HSI's Child Exploitation Investigations Unit's Victim Identification Program obtained a "Jane Doe" arrest warrant Tuesday in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia for the suspect and issued a news release with photos seeking the public's help to identify the suspect, after all other investigative leads had been exhausted.

According to the complaint, Motley is believed to have produced at least one long-form child pornography video featuring herself engaging in explicit sexual conduct with a 4 to 6-year-old victim.

HSI special agents received an investigative referral from the Danish National Police, after the video was downloaded by law enforcement officers in Denmark. The video was referred to HSI as Danish police believed that the video had most likely been produced in the United States. HSI submitted the material to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, the national clearinghouse for child sexual exploitation material. The center determined that the victim had not yet been identified or rescued.

Investigators believe that the video was posted on the Internet for the first time Nov. 27.

The Department of Justice's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section supported the efforts of HSI during this investigation. The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children and the Northwest Florida Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force also provided assistance. Participating members of the task force included: the Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office, the Walton County Sheriff's Office and the Pensacola Police Department.

This investigation is part of Operation Predator, a nationwide HSI initiative to protect children from sexual predators, including those who travel overseas for sex with minors, Internet child pornographers, criminal alien sex offenders and child sex traffickers. HSI encourages the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free hotline at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE or by completing its online tip form. Both are staffed around the clock by investigators.

Suspected child sexual exploitation or missing children may be reported to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, an Operation Predator partner, via its toll-free 24-hour hotline, 1-800-THE-LOST.

HSI is a founding member and the U.S. representative of the Virtual Global Taskforce, an international alliance of law enforcement agencies and private industry sector partners working together to prevent and deter online child sexual abuse.

The case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Florida.

The County Record has just received this urgent press release from immigration officials. Please study the photo and respond to the tip line or local law enforcement if you recognize the woman pictured. This woman could be anywhere in the United States.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) urgently needs the public's help to identify a suspected child pornography producer. The agency is seeking the arrest of an unidentified woman for producing child pornography and the rescue of a 4 to 5-year-old victim of sexual exploitation.

The "Jane Doe" criminal complaint and arrest warrant signed Tuesday in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia is the second obtained by HSI's Child Exploitation Investigations Unit this year. The first Jane Doe was arrested with her husband in Portland, Ore., in September, after the agency sought and received tips from the public to identifying her.

Jane Doe, pictured here, is described by HSI special agents as a Caucasian female, 23 to 29 years old, with a medium build, brown hair with blond highlights and hazel/green eye color. She has a mole on her left thigh and a tongue piercing, with a white round stud with a pink dot. Although her whereabouts are unknown, special agents investigating this case believe she lives somewhere in the United States. She is believed to have produced at least one long-form child pornography video featuring herself engaging in explicit sexual conduct with a 4 to 5-year-old victim.

HSI special agents received an investigative referral from the Danish National Police, after the video was downloaded by law enforcement officers in Denmark. The material was submitted to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, the national clearinghouse for child sexual exploitation material. The center determined that the victim had not yet been identified or rescued.

Jane Doe's information and photos are also being distributed through law enforcement channels by the HSI Victim Identification Unit in an effort to find the perpetrator and rescue the victim.

HSI is requesting that anyone with information about this person contact the agency immediately, in one of two ways:

Call the ICE Tip Line: 866-347-2423, which is staffed 24-hours a day; or
Complete an online tip form at www.ice.gov/tips.
All tips will remain anonymous. Individuals should not attempt to apprehend the suspect personally.

HSI's Victim Identification Program seeks to rescue child victims of sexual abuse and exploitation and bring the perpetrators to justice.

The folks in Scotts Ferry are gearing up for the 5th Annual Scotts Ferry Redneck Christmas Parade to be held Saturday, Dec. 15, at 4:30 p.m. CST. [Full Story »] 

The Calhoun County Commission voted 3-1 this afternoon to terminate Sonny O'Bryan, the former county administrator, grants coordinator and emergency management director.

Last Thursday night, the BCC voted 3-2 to change O'Bryan's title from county administrator to public works director, while also retaining him as emergency management director and grants coordinator. The motion, made by Darrell McDougald, also included cutting O'Bryan back to 31 hours per week and setting his pay at $50,000 for his part-time work.

During this afternoon's regular session, Lee Shelton made the motion to terminate O'Bryan. Assistant County Administrator Joe Wood, who had been hired in 2009 with the understanding O'Bryan was retiring in 2010, along with Assistant Emergency Management Director Angie Smith, were both reportedly being prepared to assume O'Bryan's roles upon his retirement. However, O'Bryan retired for only 30 days and returned to work at full pay with no apparent plan on when he would resume his retirement. O'Bryan reportedly declined the request to complete training Wood and Smith within a 90-day period. He did not attend today's meeting.

Commissioners Lee Lee Brown and Thomas Flowers voted with Shelton. Commissioner McDougald voted against the motion. Commissioner Truman Grant was absent.

During commissioner time at the end of the meeting, McDougald read a resignation letter from O'Bryan. It was reportedly rejected based on the fact he had already been terminated.

Wood and Smith have been promoted to take over O'Bryan's former posts.

BY KELLI PEACOCK DUNN
News Editor

A Calhoun County Commissioner workshop and special meeting Thursday night to discuss Sonny O'Bryan's position turned into a bash Joe Wood, Jr. session.

By meeting's end, the board voted 3-2 to change O'Bryan's title from county administrator to public works director, while also retaining him as emergency management director and grants coordinator. The motion, made by Darrell McDougald, also included cutting O'Bryan back to 31 hours per week and setting his pay at $50,000 for his part-time work. Truman Grant and Lee Shelton voted with McDougald. Chairman Thomas Flowers and Lee Lee Brown voted against the motion.

The audience gasped as O'Bryan commended his own efforts, but criticized Joe Wood, Jr., the man hired nearly two and a half years ago as assistant county administrator. O'Bryan was expected to train Wood to assume the county administrator and grants coordinator post. When questioned by the board about whether or not he had trained Wood, he said, "There was no litmus test," and "I can't make Joe do anything he doesn't want to do." Other comments included, "I can lead a mule to water, but I can't make him drink."

Meanwhile, O'Bryan continued praising his own accomplishments and efforts, explaining how he was "self taught" in all that he had learned since being hired in 1991. "I'm sorry, Joe, I should have been a better teacher, but Joe needs to be a better student," he remarked.

McDougald acknowledged that Wood's style is much more people friendly than O'Bryan's brash nature, going so far as to say he has to go ahead of O'Bryan on road projects, meeting with residents to avoid O'Bryan offending them during the process. However, McDougald commended O'Bryan's method for getting things done.

As previously reported, O'Bryan retired in early 2011, six months after Wood was hired. O'Bryan returned to work 30 days after retiring, assumed his old position at $80,000 per year (plus full retirement), with the understanding he would be training Wood to take over the county administrator role and Angie Smith, the assistant emergency management director, to assume the director's post in that department.

Joe Wood, Jr. sat quietly and did not comment on O'Bryan's remarks about him.

The commission will meet Tuesday, Dec. 4, at 2 p.m. and discuss Joe Wood's position.

County commissioners can be reached at the following numbers:
Darrell McDougald 674-5921
Truman Grant 643-8510 or 674-4620
Lee Lee Brown 447-0189
Lee Shelton 447-4716
Thomas Flowers 643-6200

The County Record is obtaining a full tape of last night's meeting. Watch for a full story Monday on our website and in Wednesday's print edition.

There was a changing of the guard in Calhoun County Tuesday morning as four newly elected public officials took their oath of office. [Full Story »]