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The East Brewton Police Department is continuing an investigation into cases that occurred earlier this year involving a man currently being held at the Mobile Metro Jail.
Brewton Police Chief Kenny Brazile said the crimes involved rape, sodomy and other charges.
Branden Lee Howell, of Brewton, was arrested in 2019 in Mobile and faced 11 sex crime charges including rape, sodomy and sexual torture. He was charged with charged with six counts of sodomy, two counts of first-degree rape, two counts of child sex abuse and one count of sexual abuse, according to jail records.
In March, Howell failed to show up for his trial date in Mobile and a search began to find his location.
A published statement from the Mobile County District Attorney’s office, said:
“The DA’s office takes failure to appear in court very seriously. At this time, there is a warrant out for his arrest and a fugitive task force looking for him to execute that warrant.”
According to cour records, Howell is accused of having sex with two girls under the age of 12 during a period from 105 to 2019.
After his arrest, Howell was able to make bond and was released pending his court appearance. That case was set for trial in late March 2023.
Howell was located in East Brewton in March 2024 and was returned to Mobile County where he will remain behind bars until a new court date is set and resolved.
Brazile said the crimes Howell is accused of in East Brewton include similar crimes to the ones he committed in Mobile.
“How he was able to make bond on those charges is a mystery,” Brazile said. “But, apparently he came back to the area and is now accused of those same kinds of crimes against young people in our own community.”
Brazile said his department will keep tabs on Howell and as soon as his cases in Mobile county are resolved, he will have to face the charges against him in East Brewton.
“We will bring him back here to face the charges against him,” Brazile said. “We want to make sure he doesn’t have an opportunity to commit those acts against other people.”
Brazile said his department is continuing to gather information pertaining to the East Brewton charges against Howell.
“If anyone had any contact with him during his time in Brewton or East Brewton, we would like to alk to you,” Brazile said.
Any information of Howell’s activities in the area should be reported to the East Brewton Police Department by calling 251-867-4864.