MONTEZUMA — Over the past month, the Montezuma Police Department has been experiencing burglaries throughout the city. Property owners reported their air-conditioner units were being stolen from apartments at Newstone Apartments, residences on Virginia Circle, Spaulding Road, and DeVaughn Avenue. Police got a break in the cases when eyewitnesses in the Spaulding Road area stated they observed a suspicious person within their neighborhood and when officers responded to the residence, noticed that the residence had been burglarized.
On the morning of June 8, a citizen who resides on Devaughn Avenue reported that her residence had been broken into and her 32-in. television was stolen. Officers processed the scene and left the residence. However, approximately two hours later, the same residence was burglarized again.
Montezuma Police Chief Eric Finch said, “This was the straw which broke the camel’s back. We have never experienced this type of incident before, back to back burglaries at the same house on the same day.”
Police officers obtained an arrest warrant for Michael J. Felton Jr. and a search warrant for his residence at 610 Virginia Circle, after receiving information that stolen items were located there. Police executed the search warrant on the evening of June 8, and located stolen items which was connected with nine burglaries within the City of Montezuma. Felton was later arrested on June 10.

After interviewing Felton and other witnesses, officers learned that some of the stolen items were in the possession of Carlton Butler and his mother Mary Butler.

Chief Finch said, “At this point, I decided to contact the ATF and the GBI due to the fact that Carlton Butler was on a federal bond for drugs and weapon charges.”
A search warrant was written for the residence of Mary Butler at A1, Riverbend Apartments, Montezuma. While the warrant was being signed by the judge, Capt. Charley Cannon conducted a traffic stop on a 1996 Chevrolet Caprice driven by Carlton Butler. Upon stopping Butler, he was arrested for driving on a suspended driver’s license and the vehicle searched and a large amount of drugs were located within the vehicle. Butler was transported to the Macon County Jail.
After searching the residence of Mary Butler, officers located stolen items from recent burglaries and drugs. Mary Butler was charged with possession of stolen property, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, possession of cocaine and possession of drug paraphernalia.
The police chief said, “I have known Miss Mary a long time. I truly feel that she got caught up in her son’s illegal behavior.”
Carlton Butler was charged with possession of marijuana with intent to distribute and possession of cocaine with intent to distribute. Approximately 11 grams of cocaine and 10 grams of marijuana were taken off the streets of Montezuma. Officers also found an unknown substance on Butler’s  person which was tested and came back negative for drugs. However, it was rapped in masking tape within a brown bag with dirt stating, “This will keep the law off you.”

Officer Rodney Flynt was the lead investigator on these cases and he was assisted by Officer Michael Kirby and Capt. Charley Cannon, along with the assistance of the ATF and GBI. Felton, Curtis Rackley, 51, of 108 Henderson St., Montezuma and Leonard Hubbard, 53, of 817 Lavender St.,  Montezuma are being held on burglary charges.

Finch stated, “I am proud of my entire staff. It took a total effort from everyone, even our ladies in our records department to pull all these cases together.”