Arrests Made in Meth Trafficking Probe
Sherriff’s Captain Antonio Gonzalez reports that an ongoing meth trafficking investigation has resulted in the arrests of four people for allegedly trafficking methamphetamines. Houston County Sheriff’s investigators reportedly seized more than 5 ounces of methamphetamine after serving two search warrants on Friday November 1, 2013.
According to the police statement, one search warrant resulted in the arrest of Jimmy Earl Gentle II, 36, on charges of meth trafficking. Court records show that investigators confiscated 112 grams of meth during this search.
A second search warrant resulted in the arrest of Jeffery Mark Strivarius, 32, and Skylar William Cooper, 28, on meth trafficking charges. Records show that investigators seized over 41 grams of meth in this search that took place at a La Quinta Inn and Suites hotel room.
Investigators also charged Strivarius, of Columbus, Ga., and Cooper, of Seale, with felony unlawful possession of a controlled substance. They were taken to the Houston County Jail and held on bail totaling $1,015,000. Jimmy Earl Gentle II is currently being held at the Houston County Jail on $1 million bail.
Candace Hatcher, 37, became the fourth arrest of this investigation after she was charged with felony unlawful possession of a controlled substance.
The Houston County Sheriff’s Office led this investigation with assistance from the Dothan Police Department and agents with the Alabama Alcoholic Beverage Control Board.
- Published in Criminal Law
Dothan Man Charged for DUI on Tractor
Phillip David Messick, 24, of Dothan, faces multiple felony criminal charges after he allegedly drove a stolen tractor while under the influence of alcohol. Houston County Sheriff William Maddox said deputies arrested Messick and charged him with felony first-degree theft of property, three felony counts of first-degree criminal mischief, three misdemeanor counts of third-degree criminal mischief, misdemeanor resisting arrest, and driving under the influence. Messick currently remains in custody at the Henry County Jail on bail totaling $113,000.
Maddox reports that deputies responded to a complaint of someone driving a tractor recklessly in the areas of Henry County roads 99 and 45 near Headland. Police arrived at the scene to find Maddox driving the John Deere tractor down the middle of the road.
Court records show that Messick was charged with felony criminal mischief for allegedly causing more than $200,000 in damages to a sprayer tractor belonging to a Newville man. The second felony criminal mischief charge accuses Messick of causing $3,000 in damages to a church sign for the Wings of Deliverance Church in Henry County. The third felony criminal mischief offense alleges that Messick caused over $3,000 worth of damage to fencing and gates belonging to the Wiregrass Construction Company.
Sheriff Maddox also said that Messick allegedly ran over a city of Headland road sign while driving the tractor.
- Published in Criminal Law, DUI
Dothan Man Charged with Theft in False Dog Training Scheme
Houston County Sherriff’s Lieutenant, Bill Rafferty, confirms that five felony criminal charges of theft have been filed against David Andrew Bynum for allegedly not performing services agreed to as part of a business called Wiregrass K-9. Bynum, 26, faces four counts of second degree theft of property and a single second degree theft by deception charge. Additional charges of animal cruelty could come after evidence is presented before a Houston County grand jury.
According to Sherriff’s officials, Andrew Bynum recruited customers through his website by offering to train dogs for a fee. The investigation reveals that Bynum did not perform the services paid for by customers and often returned the dogs untrained and with health issues. Bynum claims to have a training facility despite the investigation being unable to revel one that actually exists at this time.
On the Wiregrass K-9 website, www.wiregrassk9.com, Bynum had a dog named “Xander” located in the “Our Endorsers” section where a customer appeared to be promoting the business. Bill Rafferty reports that the animal actually belongs to one of the victims who have filed charges against Bynum. Xander, a German Sheperd, was returned to his owners with health issues and appeared to be under weight.
Lieutenant Rafferty notes at this time he has identified “at least four victims” and expects there will be more as the investigation continues.
Read full article here.
- Published in Criminal Law
Man Charged in Dothan Nightclub Shootings
Anthony Deionte Bell, 19, was arrested on October 9th and faces criminal charges of attempted murder and 2nd degree assault after allegedly shooting a man in the stomach during an altercation at a local nightclub. Court records show that police investigators charged Bell with the shooting of another man on the same day. Both incidents took place during the first weekend of October near the G-spot nightclub off of Columbia Highway in east Dothan. Bell was taken to the Houston County Jail where he is being held on $650,000 bond.
The police statement reveals that Bell was charged with shooting the two people after a friend had been knocked unconscious by one of the victims during a fight. Bell escaped after the shooting but was later identified by witnesses as the shooter.
Dothan Police Lieutenant Will Benny said police were first notified when a man suffering from a gunshot wound to the leg asked an off duty police officer working at the G-spot nightclub for help. Police responded and found the second victim who had suffered a gunshot wound to the back and stomach area.
Both gunshot victims were taken to Southeast Alabama Medical Center where they received treatment. The victim who had been shot in the leg was treated and released on the same day. The second man, who had received the gunshot to his stomach and back area, was released a few days later.
- Published in Criminal Law
Alabama Ignition Interlock Program Remains on Hold
More than a year after the state of Alabama authorized ignition interlock devices for certain DUI offenders, the program is still waiting to be fully implemented. The interlock devices are meant to prevent a person previously convicted of driving under the influence from starting their car if their blood-alcohol level is 0.2 percent or higher. Scott Hoyem, the spokesman for the Alabama Office of Courts, reports that the implementation of the program is on hold due to funding concerns.
Offenders are required to pay $75 monthly for the devices during the first four months that they are being used. The state’s law is unclear on where revenue from that fee should be allocated. “So until these problems are worked out, we advise judges not to use the program,” Hoyem said. “The judges can decide to act on their own to use the devices, but participation is not something we are tracking at this level.”
According to Brent Buchannan of Engage South, most of the money would be funneled to an indigent services account. The funds would be used for people who can’t afford to maintain and lease the ignition interlock devices.
State lawmakers formed the Alabama DUI Prevention and Ignition Interlock Council strictly for the purposes of reviewing this issue. They’re scheduled to meet in October.
Alabama become the 50th state to pass an ignition interlock law in 2011.
- Published in DUI
Dothan Police Officer Charged for Sexual Relationship with Student
Lanice Clifton Bonds, a Dothan Police Department resource officer, has been charged with having an inappropriate relationship with a high school student. Bonds, 37, was arrested on September 24, 2013 and charged with “school employee engaging in a sex act with a student under the age of 19.” Court records show the offense allegedly took place in October of 2012.
Internal Affairs investigators launched an investigation when criminal allegations surfaced after a September 17th complaint was placed by the Dothan City School System. According to police, the case was then turned over to Dothan Police Department’s Criminal Investigation Division. Brown has since been interviewed about the facts of the case and confessed to his involvement.
Circuit Court Judge Michael Conaway has set Bonds’ bail at $250,000. Cada Carter, an attorney representing Bonds, filed a request on Wednesday to reduce the amount of bail. Carter believes the current bond amount for his client “is the same as no bond being granted at all.”
If convicted of the class B felony criminal charge, school official or employee having sex with a student, Bonds faces a maximum sentence of two to 20 years in prison.
Lanice Bonds has served as a school resource officer at Dothan High School for the last six years. Termination proceedings have been initiated against Bonds in accordance with the city of Dothan personnel rules and regulations.
- Published in Criminal Law
Dothan Man Charged with Attempted Murder
Kahlif Miguel Cooper, 33, was arrested on Tuesday and charged with a felony criminal charge of attempted murder after he reportedly assaulted a 32 year old man with a baseball bat in an incident that took place in the 700 block of Westmead Street on September 3, 2013.
Dothan Police responded to an assault complaint and investigators determined that the incident took place after Cooper went to the residence of a mutual friend to recover personal property. The confrontation took place in the backyard and Cooper is believed to have used a black baseball bat as part of the assault. The victim suffered injuries to several parts of his body and was transported to Southeast Alabama Medical Center.
Khalif cooper was taken into custody a few blocks away from where the incident took place. Police investigators also charged Cooper with armed robbery for allegedly stealing money and a cell phone from the victim after the baseball bat assault took place. The property was recovered by police officers when Cooper was taken into custody.
Court records show that Cooper has faced multiple criminal charges in the recent past. Less than three weeks ago Cooper posted $150,000 bail from the county jail in a felony first degree kidnapping charge. He was also out on bail for a felony criminal charge of marijuana possession.
Khalif Miguel Cooper is currently being held without bail.
- Published in Criminal Law
The Conspirator That Wasn’t There
The criminal defense attorneys at Boles Holmes White, LLC are often asked, “How could I be a part of a conspiracy when I wasn’t there?”
The main reason why prosecutors like to charge conspiracies is because of the Pinkerton doctrine. The doctrine is named for a famous case from the 40’s involving two brothers: Walter and Daniel, who both live together on a farm. Daniel was in prison when Walter was charged with conspiracy to violate the tax code (the brothers were not declaring their moon-shining income). The court found that, even though Daniel was in prison, he could be found guilty of conspiracy because he had once worked with Walter and did not declare the existence of the moon-shining operation.
In more formal terms, to charge conspiracy, the government must prove: 1) an agreement to conduct a specific crime, and 2) an overt act towards the commission of the crime. The trick of conspiracy is that once a person joins the conspiracy, unless they inform the authorities of its existence they remain liable for any acts of a co-conspirator that were reasonably foreseeable and were related to the purpose of the conspiracy.
Pinkerton liability (as the doctrine is called) is often an issue in federal and state conspiracy cases. The attorneys at Boles Holmes White, LLC can advise you on these and many other criminal matters.
- Published in Criminal Law
Alabama Woman Behind Bars after Large-Scale Crime Spree
Tonia Gay of Alabama and Jessie Joseph of Florida are behind bars in Crisp County jail after racking up over 40 criminal charges in a crime spree that covered four states. The two were taken into custody after deputies with the Criminal Apprehension Team stopped a silver Nissan Maxima on I-75. During a search of the vehicle, deputies found several drivers licenses, credit cards, debit cards, and social security cards.
The case was handed over to the Criminal Investigation Division where 16 victims were found to have been impacted by these crimes and all had their vehicles broken into at local gym parking lots. The cities of the victims included Albany, Atlanta, East Point, Woodstock, and Marietta, Georgia along with Denver, Colorado and St. Louis Missouri.
Sergeant Bray says that Gay has been charged with speeding, 28 counts of financial transaction card theft, 16 counts of financial identity theft, and one count possession of tools for the commission of a crime for having a window punch. . Joseph faces 28 counts of financial transaction card theft, 16 counts of financial identity fraud, and one count possession of tools for the commission of a crime for having a window punch.
The incident remains under investigation.
- Published in Criminal Law
Alabama Cornerback Arrested on DUI Charge
A sophomore defensive back for the University of Alabama football team landed in some legal trouble over the weekend according to an online arrest report. Geno Smith, who played in all 13 games as a freshman last season, was arrested by Tuscaloosa County police for driving under the influence on Sunday morning. He was jailed on $1,000 bond and had not been released as of Sunday afternoon. The incident took place while the Crimson Tide had two days off after Saturday’s scrimmage as a break between training camp and school.
Tuscaloosa County police spokesman Sergeant Bren Blankley was unable to be reached for comment.
Geno Smith, a four star recruit from Atlanta, was expected to compete for the starting position vacated by top-10 NFL draft pick Dee Milliner and see more action at the nickel cornerback position in 2013. With his status now in question, sophomores Cyrus Jones and Bradley Sylve appear to be the top two cornerbacks available off the bench.
“This is obviously not the kind of behavior we expect from our players,” Crimson Tide Coach Nick Saban said in a released statement. “I don’t have all of the details at this point and will handle it appropriately once I’ve had a chance to review the information.”
The Tuscaloosa News first reported news of the DUI arrest.
- Published in DUI