Teen arrested on sex charges

By Staff
Jason Houston FCT Managing Editor
Russellville Police arrested an 18-year-old male from Muscle Shoals Monday who is accused of sexually abusing 13-year-old girl, Chief Chris Hargett said.
Brandon Pendergrass, 18, of Nassau Avenue in Muscle Shoals, was charged with second-degree sexual abuse, a Class A misdemeanor.
RPD investigator Lt. Scotty Lowery said the department was notified of the potential sexual abuse by the girl's mother. The allegations do not include intercourse; Lowery said Pendergrass admitted to inappropriately touching the girl.
Lowery said Pendergrass was spending the night at a home at the same time the 13-year-old was there for a slumber party with her friends.
At press time, Pendergrass was in the Russellville city jail awaiting transfer to the county jail.
In an unrelated case, Russellville police are awaiting the arrival of a man believed to have been involved in the attempted burglary of a local store.
David Lashell Hannan, 31, of 2401 Vining Avenue in Huntsville, was caught during a traffic stop last weekend in Ringgold, Ga., Lowery said.
Hannan is being held by the Catoosa County Sheriff's Department on charges of driving under the influence and other traffic charges. Lowery said Hannan had signed extradition papers and will be transported to Russellville after he posts bond in Ringgold.
Lowery said Hannan originally gave law enforcement officials a false name, but a fingerprint matched computer files on the Russellville case.
In Russellville, Hannan faces charges of third-degree burglary, first-degree attempted theft, first-degree criminal mischief and possession of burglary tools.
Russellville police arrested one man at the time of the Jan. 12 break-in, Michael Humphrey, 25, of Huntsville.
Officers interrupted what they believed to be a major burglary in progress. Hannan fled the scene on foot the night Humphrey was arrested.