Lanett local charged with threats, theft

Published 7:51 pm Tuesday, June 26, 2018

LANETT — A Greater Valley Area local was charged with making terroristic threats and theft of property fourth degree Monday.

Detreile O’Monte Devon Jones, 22, of Lanett, was charged with these offenses after threatening a person he had allegedly stolen from, officials said.

“In this particular case, a citizen reported the theft in which Jones was named as a suspect,” Lanett Police Department Major Johnny Wood said. “Jones then contacted the victim and made a threat against him for reporting him and using his name.”

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Had the victim not made a report against Jones prior to the threat the charge would have been for simple harassment. Because there was a police report filed though, Alabama Code Title 13A states that the crime is considered terroristic in nature.

“Normally when someone says ‘I’ll shoot you’ it’s just considered harassment,” Wood said. “When you file a police report or take any legal action where there’s a named suspect in that particular action, and the suspect threatens you, then it becomes a terroristic threat by law.”

The Alabama law states that “A person commits the crime of making a terrorist threat when he or she threatens by any means to commit any crime of violence or to damage any property…with the intent to retaliate against any person who…provides to a law enforcement officer any information relating to the commission or possible commission of an offense under the laws of this state, of the United States, or a violation of conditions of bail, pretrial release, probation, or parole.”

Also in Lanett, a driver was struck by a beverage while driving down I-85.

“The victim was driving on I-85 southbound and was around the mile marker 79,” Wood said. “An unknown person in an orange Dodge Ram truck pulled up beside him and threw a cup that had some liquid in it. He threw it for an unknown reason and hit him in the head.”

The victim was uninjured, but because he had to swerve off the roadway due to the thrown drink, the driver of the truck committed reckless endangerment. The victim was unable to get a license plate and officers have not yet identified the truck driver.