Three officials arrested in Atmore sting have court dates set

Three public officials arrested in a prostitution sting in Atmore now have dates to appear before a judge, including an Alabama state lawmaker and a former Satsuma school board president.

The arrests were part of a three-day undercover operation earlier this month that resulted in seventeen people being taken into custody.

According to court records cited by Lagniappe, Republican State Representative Brett Easterbrook of Fruitdale is scheduled to be arraigned November eighteenth.

Investigators allege Easterbrook responded to an online advertisement posted by undercover officers posing as sex workers. According to the criminal complaint, he offered five hundred fifty dollars for sex with a girl younger than nineteen.

He's charged with soliciting prostitution and attempted human trafficking.

Also scheduled to appear November eighteenth is former Satsuma School Board President Kory Wesley.

Wesley resigned from the school board October fifth, just days after his arrest.

Investigators allege he offered money for sex with an eighteen-year-old and then tried to flee when officers identified themselves at the hotel.

Wesley is scheduled for both an arraignment and a preliminary hearing. The judge has also prohibited unauthorized electronic recording of that hearing.

The third official is former Orange Beach Public Works Director Tim Tucker. He's accused of offering two hundred twenty dollars for sex through an online exchange. Tucker is scheduled for his first court appearance November second.

Escambia County Sheriff Heath Jackson says the operation involved undercover officers communicating with suspects through online advertisements and chatrooms.

The sting ran October first through the third, with assistance from multiple law enforcement agencies.

All three officials face criminal allegations, and none of the charges constitutes a finding of guilt.

Federal Agents Search Congresswoman Ilhan Omar's Washington Home

Federal agents have searched the Washington, D.C., home of Democratic Congresswoman Ilhan Omar, just three weeks before voters head to the polls in the midterm elections.

And the search is raising questions about both the investigation itself and its timing.

The Wall Street Journal reports that agents with Homeland Security Investigations searched Omar's home Monday as part of what sources describe as a long-running criminal investigation involving immigration.

The Justice Department confirmed that agents carried out a court-authorized search, but would not explain what investigators were looking for.

Omar's office responded with a sharply worded statement, accusing the Trump administration of using federal law enforcement to target political opponents.

President Trump, meanwhile, told reporters that federal officials were looking very carefully at Omar. He also repeated his personal criticism of the Minnesota congresswoman.

The investigation could involve allegations that have followed Omar for years.

Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said last month that federal officials were investigating claims involving Omar's previous marriage and her family's immigration history.

Those claims include an allegation that Omar married her brother to help him enter the United States.

Omar has repeatedly denied that allegation and says she has never committed immigration fraud.

The timing is also significant.

The Justice Department traditionally tries to avoid overt investigative actions involving political candidates within sixty days of an election, to prevent even the appearance of political interference.

Omar is seeking her fifth term representing a heavily Democratic district that includes Minneapolis.

For now, federal officials have not publicly identified any charges against Omar, and the full scope of the investigation remains unclear.