Third public official identified in Alabama prostitution sting

CrimeFrom left: Alabama State Rep. Brett Easterbrook, Satsuma City School Board President Kory Wesley and Orange Beach Public Works Director Timothy Tucker were among those arrested in a prostitution sting in Atmore.Escambia County Sheriff's OfficeBy Lawrence Specker | lspecker@al.comA third public official has been identified as being among 17 people arrested in a multi-agency Escambia County prostitution sting.Timothy Lester Tucker, a 65-year-old Robertsdale resident who was the public works director for the city of Orange Beach, was arrested Friday, Oct. 2, on a misdemeanor charge of soliciting prostitution. The criminal complaint against Tucker alleges that he agreed to pay $220 cash for sexual intercourse with an escort. Others arrested in the sting operation include outgoing Alabama Rep. Brett Easterbrook, R-Fruitdale, and former Satsuma School Board President Kory Wesley. Both face felony charges of attempted human trafficking; affidavits and criminal complaints allege that they offered to pay for sex with someone they believed was younger than 19.Wesley has resigned, according to the Satsuma School System.Tucker is no longer listed as a public works staff member on the Orange Beach governmental website. The city said he had resigned and that Tyler Davidson had been appointed director of the department. The Atmore Police Department said that the sting operation took place from Friday through Saturday, Oct. 1-3 at a hotel in Atmore. Participating agencies included the Escambia County (Alabama) Sheriff’s Office, the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, the Clarke County Sheriff’s Office, the Poarch Tribal Police Department, the Bay Minette Police Department, the Flomaton Police Department and the Brewton Police Department. In a Facebook post, the Atmore PD said that “to resolve speculation, the hotel was not the Wind Creek Casino – Atmore.” The department said that “For priority over the investigation, and to reserve future operations, the hotel will not be listed at this time.”According to the post, the operation “reflects a coordinated effort among participating agencies to target crimes involving human trafficking and the sale and exploitation of victims.”Eight of the 17 men arrested were booked on first-degree human trafficking charges. In the cases of Wesley and Easterbrook, prosecutors have moved to amend those charges to attempted human trafficking, which is also a felony, because no actual victim was involved. According to the Atmore PD, three of those arrested were in the country illegally. I've worked as a Mobile-based reporter for the Press-Register and AL.com for more than 25 years. During that time I've written extensively about arts, entertainment, food and culture. I've also covered metro...