Judge sets $146,000 bail for Mobile rape suspect

A Mobile County judge has set bail at $146,000 for Albert McCreary, a former code enforcement officer accused of raping a woman in July. The decision on Monday allowed McCreary to leave custody despite prosecutors arguing he should have been held without bail under Aniah’s Law. District Judge Zackery Moore ruled that the bond amount, combined with specific conditions, was sufficient to ensure McCreary would appear for future court dates.

Prosecutors presented evidence that the current rape charge is part of a long history of alleged misconduct. Joshua Coleman, an investigator with the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office, testified that authorities have found six separate reports alleging McCreary sexually abused children in Baldwin County and Pensacola. Coleman described the behavior as an ongoing and disturbing pattern that dates back approximately 25 years. Judge Moore acknowledged the state's concern regarding these troubling reports while binding over the case to a grand jury.

The current charges stem from a report filed with the FBI on July 20. The complainant, a Mobile woman, stated she met a man identifying himself as Detective Black at the Prichard Municipal Complex on July 9. She testified that they later met at 1010 Baltimore Street, where the man raped her while she waited for him to finish a security side job for the Mobile Housing Authority. Investigators confirmed the man was McCreary, who worked as a code enforcement officer and an elected constable but was not a sworn police officer. He possessed a badge, gun, and handcuffs at the time of his arrest.

Defense attorney Eric Roberts challenged the credibility of the alleged victim during the hearing. Coleman admitted under cross-examination that the woman has 55 prior arrests and a history of charges related to false allegations, though those charges were dismissed. Roberts also noted that McCreary has not yet been charged in connection with the older allegations from Florida. He described the complainant as someone who makes threats and fabricates stories when she does not get her way. Assistant District Attorney Stuart Lang countered that McCreary has a well-documented history of predatory behavior involving children in Florida.

Background evidence revealed that McCreary worked at a juvenile detention center in Baldwin County before moving to Prichard. He was terminated in 2021 after multiple complaints that he solicited teenage detainees. Coleman also cited documented reports from Escambia County, Florida, alleging sexual abuse of children aged 9 to 16 between 2001 and 2013. Most of those alleged victims were connected to a church or daycare center McCreary operated. He previously pleaded guilty to felony battery in one of those cases. Investigators have corroborated parts of the current complaint through cell phone location data and a photo lineup.

McCreary also faces separate charges of perjury, possession of a forged instrument, and insurance fraud related to his constable bond. A preliminary hearing for those specific charges is scheduled for November 18. District Attorney Keith Blackwood stated that his office is currently investigating the other reports of sexual misconduct to determine if they can be used in the active cases. He noted that the state works with all victims regardless of their background.

The case will now proceed to a grand jury to determine if formal indictments for first-degree rape, first-degree sexual abuse, and unlawful imprisonment are warranted. McCreary remains free on bail subject to the conditions set by Judge Moore. The Prichard city government confirmed that McCreary no longer works for the municipality.