The FBI Citizens Academy finished its first class with an all-star lineup of graduates, the class meant to teach citizens about the structure of FBI operations and investigations.
The class was the first of its kind in Dothan, 20 people meeting regularly for a seven-week program.
Timothy O’Malley is the Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Mobile Division, and he said the class had filled his entire department on the other side of the state with a great feeling, his home office pleased about the engagement from the Dothan class.
The class studied FBI investigations and learned more about previous cases, finding out more about how the high-profile agency goes about operations.
“It’s kind of a way that we share what we do, and to kind of take away a little bit of mystery about the FBI,” he said. “We want to pull back the curtain and let (citizens) see what we’re all about.”
He said citizens are recruited to attend the class — including those who may be skeptical of police work.
The people recruited are often influential leaders in the community. Some of the names from this graduating class include Dothan City Commissioners Aristotle Kirkland and John Ferguson, Houston County Emergency Management Agency Director Mark Powell and Dothan Police Foundation Chairman Wayne Palmer.
“I have not seen a single case where someone hasn’t walked away from class with a greater appreciation for going to work with law enforcement officers,” O’Malley said.
Some of the lessons included teaching on white collar crime, threats, violent crime, domestic and international terrorism, and crime scene investigations.
Dothan City Commissioner Aristotle Kirkland mentioned the fact the city had a great facility in the Wiregrass Public Safety Center on Ennis Road, calling the facility “top notch” and saying he believes more national law enforcement will be back.
He said the experience was “absolutely incredible,” saying he took away lessons he could apply with his job as one of the top men for the city of Dothan.
“What’s exciting is this is the first year that this can start some collaborations with the community, so the next big thing would be to get people more involved for the next class,” he said.
Dothan Police Foundation Chairman Wayne Palmer also came away with a greater appreciation for law enforcement.
“I think this is going to make us appreciate and notice the things that go on. Some of the stories they’ve told us about some events and how they handle it, how their crisis people work with the victims to help them, those kind of things you don’t forget,” he said.
He stressed the fact people in law enforcement were normal people trying to do their jobs.
“They’re doing their job, and they take it serious, and every one of them without question love what they do,” he said. “They’re common people that lead.”
Compiled by Linda Boster
NOTE: JUVENILE RECORDS ARE NOT AVAILABLE TO POST. JUDGE LORI COLLIER INGRAM & JUDGE BUTCH BINFORD HANDLE ALL JUVENILE CASES:
HOUSTON COUNTY:
CS-Child Support:
38-CS-2025-900096.00 State of Alabama EX REL Miesha A Johnson Vs Cedrick
Grubbs (INTR Act Under UIFSA) with Judge Lori Collier Ingram
38-CS-2025-900097.00 State of Alabama EX REL tamara F Williams Vs Kenneth B
Williams (CS FORN JUDMT) with Judge Lori Collier Ingram
38-CS-2025-900098.00 State of Alabama EX REL Sarah Fullick Vs Jamey Ecord
(INTR Act Under UIFSA) with Judge Lori Collier Ingram
CV-Circuit-Civil:
38-CV-2025-000028.00 Ruben Perez Vs State of Alabama (Habeas/Mand/Prohibit)
with Judge Todd Derrick
38-CV-2025-000029.00 Brynlee Rayne Gontko Vs Sharon Garner (Other CV Case)
with Judge John Steensland
38-CV-2025-900187.00 Nationstar Mortgage LLC Vs Nacine Yvonne ( Real
Property) with Judge Christopher Richardson
SM-Small Claims:
38-SM-2025-901119.00 Midland Credit Management Inc Vs Hollie Money
(Account6 Collection) $819.37 with Judge Benjamin Lewis
38-SM-2025-901120.00 1st Franklin Financial Corporation Vs Christopher R Kincey
(Misc SM Case) $2670.98 with Judge Benjamin Lewis
38-SM-2025-9011121.00 Recovery Exchange LLC Vs Jennifer Ball
(Contract/EJMNT/SEIZU) $2098.00 with Judge Lori Collier Ingram
CC-Circuit-Criminal:
Judge Richardson 4 cases for Bond FORF-Felony. Judge Binford had 6 cases for
Vond FORY-Felony.
DC-District-Criminal:
Judge Lewis had 5 cases for Fugitive from Justice, Violation DV Protect, Retail
Theft 3rd, Possess Marijuana 2nd, Hot Check’s
TR-Traffic:
Judge Lewis has 18 cases ranging from Speeding, Driving W/Revoke, Expired Tag,
Failure to Wear Safe.
Henry County:
DV-District-Civil:
37-DV-2025-900034.00 Avadian Credit Union GKA Alabama Telco Vs Caleb G
Cureton (Account Collection) $8492.27 with Judge Spencer Danzey
DC-District-Criminal:
Judge Danzey had 3 cases for Fish W/o Residency..
TR-Traffic.
Judge Danzey had 7 cases for No Driving License, Improper Lane Usage, Driving
W/Revoked license, Drive W/Suspended license, Speeding, Improper Light and No Imp Tag Light.
Compiled by Linda Boster
DOTHAN: These court cases are scheduled in the 20th Judicial Circuit in Houston and Henry Counties:
Note: Juvenile court doesn’t have Public Records. Judge Lori Collier Ingram and Judge Henry D “Butch” Binford Handle all Juvenile Cases.
Note: Domestic Violence is not always an abuse case; they could be seeking Petition for Custody and Petition to Modify.
HOUSTON COUNTY:
HONORABLE HOUSTON COUNTY DISTRICT-CRIMINAL COURT JUDGE BENJAMIN LEWIS: Each morning has initial appearances. These are people who have not made a bond. They are required to be seen by a Judge or Magistrate within 48 to 72 hours of their arrest. Judge Lewis follows the law; even when on a holiday he or another Judge comes to the Houston County Jail for initial appearances.
These Persons are seen via a TV screen from the jail to the courtroom.
HONORABLE HOUSTON COUNTY DISTRICT-CRIMINAL JUDGE BENJAMIN LEWIS:
Has District Criminal with 3 cases for Minor Possess Tobacco Product. He also has
Traffic with 284 cases ranging from Fail Stop Sign, Speeding, Failure to Wear Safety belt,
Expired Tag and No Driver’s License.
HONORABLE HOUSTON COUNTY CIRCUIT-CRIMINAL JUDGE JOHN STEENSLAND
III: Has District=Criminal with 6 cases for Ill Possess Credit Deb, Possess/Receipt
Cont X 5. In Circuit-Criminal he has 53 cases ranging from Possess/Receipt Cont,
Burglary 3rd, Theft of Property 1st, Forgery 2nd , Possess marijuana 2nd, and
Identity Theft.
HONORABLE HOUSTON COUNTY CIRCUIT-CRIMINAL JUDGE HENRY ‘BUTCH’
BENFORD: Has District-Criminal with 1 case for Possess/Receipt Cont. In Circuit-
Criminal he has 128 cases ranging from Bond FORF-Felony, Identity Theft, Fogerty
2nd, Break/Enter Vehicle, Rape 1st and Child Abuse.
HARTFORD: Geneva County 911 dispatched Hartford Fire – Rescue and Slocomb Fire – Rescue to 10262 Dothan Highway ( Highway 52 ) in Hartford.
This is an active, working structure fire. The fire hydrant is directly across from the fire. This has forced the fire departments and law enforcement to close Highway 52 in order to connect to the fire hydrant.
On April 16, 2025, Dothan Police investigators charged Isaiah Jamal Turner (32 years old) of Dothan with Interference with Custody after driving off with the victim’s child in the back seat after police say Turner made unwanted sexual advances toward the victim.
Dothan Police officers responded to a business in the 100 block of Westgate Parkway in reference to a disturbance. Officers met with the victim and they told the officers they were riding with Turner to a doctor’s appointment. Turner made sexual advances toward the victim, which she did not want. After being rejected, the victim asked Turner to let them out of the vehicle. After several requests, Turner stopped and the victim got out of the vehicle. As the victim was trying to get a child out of the backseat, Turner locked the doors and drove away from the scene. In phone calls to Turner, he refused to return the child.
As officers were taking information and preparing to issue alerts for the child, an officer noticed a vehicle looking like Turner’s at the Dothan City Jail. The driver was identified as Turner and he had the child, who is under the age of two, in his vehicle. Turner was taken into custody since he was in no way related to the child and had no legal basis for taking the child. As a result, Turner was charged with Interference with Custody. The child was reunited with the victim.
Turner has been charged with one count of Interference with Custody and placed in the Houston County Jail.
