Cain pleads guilty in shooting case

A Franklin County man accused of shooting at two police officers on separate occasions in September 2009 entered a guilty plea Tuesday in U.S. District Court.

Steven Jeffrey Cain, 50, 3642 Franklin 20, Phil Campbell, pleaded guilty to armed burglary and three counts of being a convicted felon in possession of firearms.

The charges stemmed from the Sept. 11, 2009, burglary of Phil Campbell Drugs where Cain shot ten times at a Phil Campbell police officer that responded to the burglary call.

Officials said Cain also acknowledged his involvement in the Sept. 30, 2011, incident near Hometown Pharmacy in Russellville where he shot at a Russellville police officer who responded to a suspicious persons call. Russellville Police

Officer Jake Tompkins returned fire, injuring Cain in that incident.

“We appreciate the dedicated work of our local law enforcers in Phil Campbell and Russellville who, fortunately, were not injured by Cain’s criminal behavior. Their hard work, in conjunction with county, state and federal partners, led to a just resolution in this case,” U.S. Attorney Joyce White Vance said in a statement.

The Northern Alabama District of The United State’s Attorney’s Office said the ATF, the Alabama Bureau of Investigation, the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office and the Phil Campbell and Russellville Police Departments worked together to investigate the case.

Phil Campbell Police Chief Merrell Potter said he was relieved knowing that Cain would be incarcerated while state charges are still pending.

“He has proven that he would be a habitual offender and it would have eventually been worse,” Potter said.

Pending state charges include attempted murder of a police officer with a gun, second-degree burglary, first-degree burglary, second-degree theft of property, first-degree criminal mischief and first-degree receiving stolen property.