Career Criminals Unit making big busts via public help

Published 4:23 pm Friday, June 22, 2018

Adam Mobley, an investigator with the Decatur County Sheriff’s Office, made three separate arrests for of meth this week.

Donald Russell Blake Shellhouse, 30, Nichole Le Weyman, 33, and Michael Anthony Abar, 34, were each arrested for possession of meth with intent to distribute.

Mobley, who works in the recently founded Career Criminals Unit at the DCSO, said the busts were made possible by one arrest that revealed information, leading to another.

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The Career Criminals Unit, which takes its name from the repeat offenders the unit primarily goes after, focuses on hunting fugitives and narcotics. Lead by Captain Brian Donalson and worked by Mobley and his partner Justin Kelley, the unit was created earlier this year to devote more time to deeper investigations and repeat offenders.

Mobley said 10 percent of the community commits 90 percent of the crimes, and focusing on those criminals who offend repeatedly can build a bigger network of contacts, locations and other useful information. Depending on who is involved in a crime the CCU is investigating, it will know where to look, or at the very least give Mobley and the rest of the unit a place to start.

“It’s working fantastic so far,” said Mobley.

Mobley emphasized the work the CCU does heavily leans on tips from the community. An anonymous text sent to Mobley’s cell phone two weeks ago revealed the area where a suspect he was looking for might be found. After patrolling the street for a few days, the suspect was spotted walking into a house. The DCSO was able to arrest him soon after.

“We love the help, if anyone has any leads,” said Mobley. “We will investigate every message we get.”

People with tips can contact the DCSO through its website at decaturso.com or by contacting Mobley at (229) 400-8034.

“There are three of us in the unit, but with everyone in the community, there are thousands of us,” said Mobley. “We want to make the community a better place.