What to do When There is a Warrant for Your Arrest
Some people know when they have broken the law as well as the consequences that goes along with committing that crime. However, there are others who may not know that they have broken the law, that is, until they are being issued or told that there is a warrant for their arrest. Though being informed that you have or may have a warrant for your arrest can be overwhelming, there are actions that you can take to help you in your situation.
If you or a loved one have been informed that you have a warrant for your arrest, it is in your best interest to contact an experienced Birmingham criminal law attorney so that we can strategize about the best possible outcomes for your situation.
What to Do?
In Dothan, a warrant for your arrest can be issued in two different cases. You can have an arrest warrant issued, typically, because you have committed some crime or there is probable cause to believe that you have committed a crime or you can have a bench warrant for your arrest, which is the most common form of a warrant for your arrest. A bench warrant, typically, means that an officer will not come to your house in search of you, however, if you are stopped for a traffic violation or attempt to renew your driver’s license, you will be arrested usually due to a failure to appear.
When you have been informed that you have a warrant for your arrest, there are three actions that you can take to right this wrong. You can search a third-party website if you know the date of the offense or other information such as the description of the offense or charges. However, if this information is not available to you, you should call the courthouse which the warrant was issued to see what the warrant is for. You will essentially be told that you have outstanding fines, and sometimes, the warrant can be taken care of by paying the debt owed or setting up an appointment to speak with someone, such as the Judge, the make payment arrangements.
However, depending on why you have been issued a warrant for your arrest, you may still need to turn yourself into the police department. Lastly, and the most important way you can handle a warrant for your arrest is by contacting a criminal law attorney. A criminal law attorney can, generally, seek the information that you cannot in the case of a warrant, as well as inform you of your rights and help you address any issues.
Need Legal Advice?
Though you may be frustrated and overwhelmed to learnt that you have a warrant for your arrest, you do not have to be. Contacting an experienced criminal law attorney is invaluable to you and your situation and here at Boles Holmes White, we are here to help. Because all situations are different, it is in your best interest to contact an experienced Dothan criminal defense attorney at Boles Holmes White, to help you with your case. Contact our office today.
- Published in Criminal Law
Man Arrested for Theft of Electronic Walmart Shopping Cart
Curtis Wymes, 25, has been arrested by Dothan police and charged with stealing a motorized scooter filled with alcohol from a local Walmart shopping center. Records show that police charged Wymes with stealing two 18-packs of Corona beer, three 12-packs of “Strawberita” beer, and a motorized shopping cart that is typically used by handicapped customers. The determined value of the property stolen was a combined $5,069.85. Wymes is currently being held at the Houston County Jail on $5,000 bail.
Officers arrived to the scene in response to a theft in progress complaint at the Northside Walmart Supercenter where they learned that a man had left the store on an electronic scooter without paying for a large amount of alcoholic beverages. Officers found a suspect matching the description in the 3000 block of Flynn Road where they took Wymes into custody and charged him with felony first-degree theft of property.
In the state of Alabama, first-degree theft of property is a Class B felony that is punishable by no more than 20 years in prison, and no less than two years. Theft of property is classified in the first-degree if the property value stolen exceeds $2,500.
If you or someone you know is facing theft charges, it is important that you contact an experienced criminal attorney to handle your case. The lawyers of Boles Holmes White are experienced in a variety of legal matters and have a history of success in the courtroom. Call to schedule a consultation today.
- Published in Criminal Law
Headland Man Facing Felony Criminal Charges
Kennon O’Bryan Hester, of Headland, has been charged with enticing a child for immoral purposes in connection to a July 21st incident involving two teenage girls. Hester, who is currently out on bail for drug trafficking charges, was taken to the Houston County Jail where he is being held without bail.
Police arrested Hester after they received a complaint of a man chasing two juvenile girls from the 1300 block of Alexander Drive to a home in the 1200 block of Judson Street. Hester, 35, was taken into custody shortly after at the Alexander Court Apartment Complex. Dothan Police Lieutenant Will Benny has announced that neither victim, ages 13 and 14, were injured in this alleged crime.
Court records show that Hester was arrested earlier this month by Dothan police and charged with drug trafficking, drug manufacturing, and unlawful possession of meth. He also has a second drug trafficking charge, and a drug possession charge pending from a 2012 arrest.
In the state of Alabama, enticing a child for immoral purposes is classified as a Class C felony. This crime generally carries a maximum prison sentence of 10 years, and a minimum sentence of one year and one day. Fines may also be imposed but may not exceed $15,000.
If you or someone you know has been charged with a felony crime, it is important that you contact an experienced criminal attorney to handle your case. The lawyers of Boles Holmes White are experienced in a variety of legal matters and have a history of success in the courtroom. Call to schedule a consultation today.
- Published in Criminal Law
Two Dothan Women Arrested on Theft Charges
Connie Collins, 54, and Charlotte King, 53, have been arrested in connection to the theft of over $500 worth of merchandise from two local businesses. Each woman has been charged with two felony counts of second degree theft of property and both were transported to the Houston County Jail where they are being held on bail totaling $5,000.
Officers responded to a theft complaint at Kohl’s department store on Friday July 11th and were told that two women had taken several items from the store without paying. The suspects fled the scene of the crime in a maroon Dodge car, but were stopped by officers and taken into custody a short time later. Collins and King were found to be in possession of merchandise stolen from Kohl’s department store and Academy Sports store.
In the state of Alabama, theft of property in the second degree is a Class C felony and is punishable by a prison sentence of no less than one year and one day, and no more than 10 years. Theft of property is classified in the second degree if the property value stolen is more than $500 and less than $2500.
If you or someone you know is facing theft charges, it is important that you contact an experienced criminal attorney to handle your case. The lawyers of Boles Holmes White are experienced in a variety of legal matters and have a history of success in the courtroom. Call to schedule a consultation today.
- Published in Criminal Law
Man Arrested for Employee Theft in Dothan
John Floyd Denson, 52, of East Smithville Road, was arrested on Tuesday after an internal investigation revealed that he stole more than $6,000 worth of merchandise from his employer. He has been charged with two counts of first-degree theft of property and is currently being held on a $30,000 bond.
The investigation was conducted by the company’s security division after they received evidence showing that Denson was potentially stealing from the plant. It was discovered that Denson stole over $3,500 worth of tools and equipment during his employment at Waynes Farms in Dothan. The investigation also determined that Denson ordered nearly $3,000 worth of chain link fencing for a family member, which he used the company’s account to purchase.
Police are asking for anyone that has purchased tools from Denson within the last year to contact authorities at 334-615-3000.
In the state of Alabama, theft of property in the first degree is a Class B felony that is punishable by no less than two years in prison, and no more than 20 years.
The following constitutes first-degree theft of property in Alabama:
(a) The theft of property which exceeds two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500) in value, or property of any value taken from the person of another, constitutes theft of property in the first degree.
(b) The theft of a motor vehicle, regardless of its value, constitutes theft of property in the first degree.
(c) The theft of property which involves all of the following constitutes theft of property in the first degree:
- The theft is a common plan or scheme by one or more persons; and
- The object of the common plan or scheme is to sell or transfer the property to another person or business that buys the property with knowledge or reasonable belief that the property is stolen; and
- The aggregate value of the property stolen is at least one thousand dollars ($1,000) within a 180-day period.
If you or someone you know has been charged with a property crime, it is important that you contact an experienced criminal attorney to handle your case. The lawyers of Boles Holmes White are experienced in a variety of legal matters and have a history of success in the courtroom. Call to schedule a consultation today.
- Published in Criminal Law
Bail Bondsman Arrested for Handcuffing Men to Courtroom Door
Ricky Stokes, the bail bondsman who handcuffed two men to the door of the city courtroom, turned himself into police on Tuesday night and was booked on two counts of second-degree unlawful imprisonment. He has since been released after posting two $300 bonds.
The charges stem from an incident on June 4th when two men turned themselves in to Stokes after missing their court dates earlier in the week. Police allegedly refused to take the men into custody because arrest warrants hadn’t been issued, and court was not in session. Stokes, who had bonded the men out of jail on their original charges, handcuffed them both to the Dothan Municipal Courthouse door and left the premises. The men remained chained to the door for nearly 25 minutes before being released.
Stokes says that he have handcuffed the two men to prove a point that the Dothan City court was understaffed. He also refutes claims made by Rev. Kenny Sharpton Glassgow that this incident is race related. Stokes responded to the incident in his blog with the following statement:
“I firmly stand on the grounds that I am not guilty and have not violated the laws in my actions regarding the apparent bail jumping by Reese and Tiller. When you fail to appear for court at the time prescribed by the court, then you have jumped bail.
As a bondsman, it is my duty to return you to the custody of the Chief of Police or Sheriff, whichever has jurisdiction of the case, in order to clear your bail jumping.
The laws of this state give bondsman wide latitude in the apprehension and surrender of those who bail jump. Case law likens it the re-arrest of an escaped prisoner by the Sheriff.”
The two men and a handful of witnesses went to the city magistrate’s office on Tuesday to file an official complaint against Stokes and warrants were issued later that day. In the state of Alabama, unlawful imprisonment in the second degree is a Class C misdemeanor punishable by no more than three months in jail and no more than a $500 fine for each count.
- Published in Criminal Law
Dothan Officer Pleads Guilty to Having Sex with Student
Lanice Clifton Bonds, a Dothan police resource officer accused of having sexual relations with a 17 year old high school student, pleaded guilty to a charge of “School employee engaging in a sex act with a student under the age of 19” on Monday June 9th.
Bonds, 31, of Drexel Court, was arrested on September 24th of last year after Dothan City School officials forwarded a complaint to the Dothan Police Department alleging that an inappropriate relationship involving a high school student and a school resource officer had taken place. An internal affairs investigation was launched which led to a criminal probe by the Dothan Police Department’s Criminal Investigations Division. Officers interviewed Bonds about the facts of the case where he confessed to his involvement in the incident. Bonds was later terminated from his position as the school resource officer at Dothan High School where he had been employed for six year.
A sentencing hearing has been scheduled for July 21, 2014 where Bonds faces between 2-20 years in prison.
If you or someone you know has been charged with a sex crime, it is important that you contact an experienced criminal attorney to handle your case. The attorneys of Boles Holmes White are experienced in a variety of legal matters and have a history of success in the courtroom. Call to schedule a consultation today.
- Published in Criminal Law
Dothan Man Arrested for Burglary and Domestic Violence
Anthony Jermaine Jackson, 35, was arrested by Dothan Police on June 3rd after officers responded to a burglary in the 500 block of East Selma Street. Upon arriving at the scene, police learned that Jackson had attempted to enter the home, which belonged to his ex-girlfriend, by breaking out one of the windows. After being confronted by an occupant of the residence, Jackson fled the scene prior to officers arriving.
Investigators say that Jackson and the victim were involved in a relationship that had recently ended. During the attempted entry into the home, Jackson also allegedly threatened to kill the victim.
Anthony Jackson was later spotted by officers several blocks from the homeand was taken into custody immediately after. He has been charged with second degree burglary and second degree domestic violence. Jackson is currently being held without bond.
Second-degree burglary and second-degree domestic violence are both Class B felonies in the state of Alabama and carry maximum sentences of 20 years in prison. For second and subsequent convictions for second-degree domestic violence, the defendant must serve at least six months in custody before being released on probation or parole, or receiving credit for good behavior.
If you or someone you know has been charged with domestic violence or robbery, it is important that you contact an experienced criminal attorney to handle your case. The attorneys of Boles Holmes White are experienced in a variety of legal matters and have a history of success in the courtroom. Call to schedule a consultation today.
- Published in Criminal Law
Houston County Investigators Arrest Three for Child Solicitation
According to the Houston County Sheriff’s Department, three men have been arrested and charged with the solicitation of children online for unlawful sex acts as part of an ongoing investigation by local investigators. The most recent to be taken into custody was Douglas Scott Griffith, 38, of Pensacola Florida, who was charged with two felony counts of transmitting obscene material and one felony count of electronic solicitation of a child.
Investigator Aaron Kincaid reports that deputies with the Escambia County Sherrif’s Office served the warrants filed against Griffith and arrested him on Friday morning. Kincaid picked up Griffith on Monday afternoon to bring him back to the Houston County Jail.
Also arrested in this investigation was 24-year-old Trenton Isaac Driver. He was taken into custody last week and charged with two felony counts of transmitting obscene material and a single count of electronic solicitation of a child. Driver had recently graduated from Troy University with a degree in elementary education and just completed an internship at an elementary school in Covington County.
Kincaid reported that in both instances, the charges for transmitting obscene material alleged that the suspects sent naked pictures of themselves to someone who they believed to be a minor.
The first arrest in this undercover operation came on May 1, 2014 when Paul Leo Thaxton II, 40, was charged with felony traveling to meet a child for an unlawful sex act and felony electronic solicitation of a child.
Transmitting obscene material, electronic solicitation of a child, and traveling to meet a child for an unlawful sex act, are all Class B felonies in the state of Alabama and punishable by up to 20 years in prison. If you or someone you know is facing these charges and feel you are “not guilty”, it is important that you contact the Dothan attorneys at Boles Holmes White today.
- Published in Criminal Law
Healthcare Executive Arrested for Child Solicitation
Michael Lee Graue, a top healthcare executive in Atlanta, was arrested by police in Geneva County on charges of child solicitation on May 2, 2014. Officers apprehended Graue in Hartford late Friday night where police say he came to have sex with a 14-year-old girl that he met through an online dating website. Graue has since been terminated from his duties as the senior vice president of Tenant Healthcare.
The arrest occurred at a Hartford restaurant where Graue arranged to meet the 14-year-old girl. He has been charged with soliciting child sex through the use of a computer and traveling to meet an underage child for the purpose of engaging in an illegal sexual activity. Both of these charges are felonies and punishable by up to 20 years in prison under Alabama law. Police Chief Annie Ward says the investigation involving Graue remains open and more charges remain a possibility after his laptop was seized during the arrest.
According to a spokesperson at the Geneva County Jail, Graue has been released from custody after posting a bail of $200,000.
Michael Graue is the third person arrested as part of the Hartford Police Department’s investigation in coordination with the Perverted Justice Foundation. Hartford police also arrested Rex Allen Riley, 21, and Jake Devoy Lewis, 26, within the last eight weeks. Both men were charged with felony traveling to meet a child for an unlawful sex act, electronic solicitation of a child, and felony transmitting obscene material.
- Published in Criminal Law