Atchison Arrest Stuns Gulf Breeze

By Debbie Williams Reporter

Gulf Breeze reacts to the arrest of Assistant U.S. Attorney Roy Atchison. Atchison Arrest Stuns Gulf Breeze

Published: Tue, September 18, 2007 - 3:43 pm Last Updated: Tue, September 18, 2007 - 6:17 pm

Debbie Williams

News of Roy Atchison's arrest traveled fast from Detroit to the small Florida town he calls home just outside of Pensacola. Folks in Gulf Breeze never saw this coming.
The city of Gulf Breeze is reeling. "I was stunned. I was really stunned," that's how Patricia Addison reacted after hearing the news.
Roy Atchison, an Assistant U.S. Attorney and President of the Gulf Breeze Sports Association faces federal charges of trying to entice a child for sex over the Internet. He was arrested in Detroit after authorities say he flew there to have sex with a five year old.
"It pierces my heart to know that some one would perpetrate that on anybody much less someone that is innocent," says Pam Frank.
"To find out that somebody like this that we hold in some sort of esteem to find out that he is capable of something like this," adds Addison.
What maybe more disturbing, as President of the sports association, Atchison had direct contact with the children of the community. Something Assistant City Manager David Szymanski says is disturbing. "It's very disturbing if everything proves to be true yes."
The Gulf Breeze Sports Association is headquartered here in the Gulf Breeze Recreation Center. They had no comment on the situation Atchison finds himself in but Vice President of the Sports Association, Mike Mabry, did issue a statement that says in part:
"Roy Atchison has been a valued member of the Gulf Breeze community and the Gulf Breeze Sports Association for the past decade. He will be on a leave of absence as President until the outcome of the case."
"You're hoping it's a bad dream," says Szymanski, "and you wake up tomorrow and its done with but unfortunately it's not."
A bad dream for many that is just beginning.
Federal prosecutors say Atchison could face 60 years in prison if convicted.