Dothan Police Sergeant Andy Martin announced on Tuesday that Julia Yvette Williams, 32, had been arrested and charged with felony trafficking of cocaine and felony unlawful possession of a controlled substance.  Records show that police charged Williams with trafficking 44 grams of cocaine from her home late last week.

Police seized the drugs after investigators served a search warrant at Williams’ home on October 11^th.  The arrest was delayed over a month while an ongoing investigation was conducted into the supplier of the narcotics.  Williams was released from jail after she posted bail totalling $75,000.

Julia Yvette Williams had previously been charged by Dothan police in 2004 on a similar cocaine trafficking charge.  She pleaded guilty and received a 10 year prison sentence.  Williams was also ordered to complete a substance abuse program within the state Department of Corrections.

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.

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.

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Anthony Deionte Bell, 19, was arrested on October 9th and faces criminal charges of attempted murder and 2^nd 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.

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 17^th 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.

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.

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.

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.

Edward Lee Bonner turned himself over to authorities on Tuesday, July 30^th despite telling reporters gathered at Mobile Police Department headquarters that he was not responsible for the deal of Obrian Sanptor Russell.  Russell was fatally shot on the 3100 block of Dauphin Street on April 28^th and the case remains the second longest running unsolved homicide case of the year.

Bonner, 26, was escorted to a waiting police car and taken to Mobile County Metro Jail where he will be booked on one count of murder in the death of Russell.  MPD spokeswoman Ashley Rains reported that evidence points to an altercation taking place between Russell and Bonner on the night of April 28^th.  Whether or not Bonner and Russell knew each other is still being investigated at this time.

Police records show that Bonner has a history of criminal charges in Mobile County that date back to 2008.  He previously had been arrested on charges of breaking and entering a vehicle, receiving stolen property, and criminal trespassing.

Edward Lee Bonner is also being held in Mobile County Metro Jail by the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office on one count of promoting prison contra band and one count attempting to commit a controlled substance crime.

Detectives are still actively investigating the shooting.