Alabama police chief recounts arresting Stacy Drake

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — An Alabama police chief recounts his experience apprehending Stacy Lee Drake over 14 years ago, an arrest that helped put an end to Drake’s 2010 multi-state crime spree.

Johnny Stephenson is the chief of police in Gordo, Alabama, a town that according to the U.S. Census, is home to only 1,584 people.

“It’s a small town. We’ve got five officers, very rural. So yes, we’re like any place. We have our share of crime, but this was kind of unusual,” Stephenson said when describing the town.

In February 2010, Stephenson was a sergeant at the Gordo Police Department, and he happened to be on patrol the day that Stacy Drake made his way through the small town.

“We’re [located] on Highway 82, and apparently he was traveling on 82 because we could track him all the way across the state,” said Stephenson.

According to a report from the Gordo Police Department, Drake stopped at a local Gilliam’s grocery store and held one man at gunpoint before stealing his vehicle, wallet, and food.

Stephenson remembers the incident well, saying “He stuck the gun in his face and told him to leave his wallet in the truck and get out of the truck… And you know, he was scared. He was afraid the guy was gonna shoot him.”

Drake then led Stephenson and other officers on an 8-mile-long high-speed chase before crashing and overturning the stolen vehicle. Following the accident, Drake was arrested by Stephenson “without further incident,” reports say.

Stephenson says to now see Drake connected to multiple murders across Alabama and Oklahoma is shocking.

“I was wondering why he was out of prison. It’s my impression that he was going to be in prison. Initially with the case I was told he would get 28 years. It ain’t been 28 years,” Stephenson said.

Stephenson also said that Drake’s crimes seemed to be “crimes of strategy.” During the 2010 arrest, police say they found a computer that held photos and documentation of each crime Drake committed.

Stephenson says he believes not enough was done to keep Drake behind bars.

“If he was still in jail like he was supposed to be, a lot of this wouldn’t have happened. He had already been in prison before, so you know he was a career criminal,” Stephenson said.

More detailed information about Stacy Drake’s criminal history and his 2010 crime spree is available here.

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