All persons are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
UPDATE: Help Locate this Missing Person
UPDATE: Wesley Paul Hodge has been found safe. We would like to thank everyone who called and provided assistance and information. He is currently being reunited with his family.
On Saturday, 4/23/2022, 61 year old Wesley Paul Hodge walked away from his home on Parish Street in Dothan, AL. He has not been seen or heard from since then. When he left, he was wearing no shoes, no shirt and black shorts. He is described as 5’9″, 160 lbs., gray hair and blue eyes.
He does have medical issues and he does not have any medication with him. If you see him or have any information as to where he may be, you are asked to call the Dothan Police Department at 334-615-3000 or your nearest law enforcement agency.
MISSING PERSON
Man Arrested for Enticing a Child for Immoral Purposes
On April 19, 2022, the Dothan Police Department was made aware of possible inappropriate contact between an adult male and a juvenile under the age of 16. Due to the allegations, an investigation was started which has led to 45 year-old Jason Dean Burdeshaw, of Dothan, being charged with two counts of Enticing a Child to Enter a Vehicle, House, etc., for immoral purposes. He currently has no bond. This is an ongoing investigation and as it continues there could be additional charges.
Due to the sensitive nature of this case and the juvenile privacy laws, no further information will be released.
Arrest Made In Threat Against Dothan Preparatory Academy
On Sunday, April 17, 2022, the Dothan Police Department became aware of a threat against Dothan Preparatory Academy (DPA) by posts being made on social media. An immediate investigation was launched and the source of the threat was identified as coming from a social media account belonging to a juvenile student from DPA. Because of the disruption this has caused at DPA, the juvenile has been charged with terrorist threats. Due to the age of the suspect, no further information is available.
We take these types of threats serious, irregardless of the validity. We will investigate threats to the fullest to ensure the individual responsible is held accountable for their actions.
Man Charged With Aggravated Cruelty To Animals For Killing Kittens
On April 10, 2022, Dothan Police Officers were dispatched to the 400 Block of Westgate Parkway to an animal cruelty complaint. Upon arrival, officers discovered a trash can filled with water and inside was another container which had three kittens inside it.
The investigation into this matter revealed the three kittens were only one day old at the time they were intentionally put into the water. The owner’s intentional actions were his own way of euthanizing the kittens because he did not want them. As a result, 67 year-old Jack Richard Chafin, of Dothan, was charged with three counts of aggravated cruelty to animals. His bond was set at $15,000.00.
We would encourage anyone who decides they no longer want their pet or may be struggling to provide adequate care for their pet and decide they can no longer do so, to seek assistance. Residence in Dothan can contact Dothan Animal Services at 334-615-4620, or after hours at 334-615-3000. The Dothan Animal Services works diligently to rehome pets and they have an extremely high success rate of doing so. There are also national organizations that work with individuals to rehome pets as well.
Your Help Is Needed On An Unsolved Murder
It was Easter Sunday, April 7, 1996, when Ruthie Mae Jackson was found viciously murdered in a bedroom of her East Adams Street home in Dothan, AL. Today marks the 26th Anniversary of her death.
Ruthie Mae Jackson had been cooking food the night before in preparation for Easter lunch with family and friends at her home after church. When she was found, it was determined her death was the result of being stabbed multiple times.
The person or persons responsible for this have had to live with this on their mind for many years now. We ask that anyone with information put themselves in the shoes of the family of Ruthie Mae Jackson and imagine what they have been through all these years after losing their loved one to such a senseless death. Only the person or persons responsible for this know exactly why this happened. Regardless of their reason, it does not justify taking the life of such a sweet individual, especially when she would have given someone anything they could have needed. The family deserves closure and justice for the loss of their loved one.
We believe there is someone out there that may know something about the death of Ruthie Mae Jackson, and we continue to solicit help from the public. No matter how small you think the information may be, we ask that you please share anything you may know. You can remain anonymous by calling Crime Stoppers at 334-793-7000 or call the Dothan Police Department at 334-615-3000.
Anonymous Prescription Drug Drop Box
The Dothan Police Department has a prescription drug drop box located in the lobby of the police department at 210 North Saint Andrews Street.
In 2021 we safely destroyed over 250 pounds of medications, keeping them out of the hands of children and unauthorized persons.
Simply walk into the lobby Monday-Friday 8:00-5:00 and drop the containers into the locked drop box. No need to speak with anyone.
A technician and witness will collect drugs from the container and safely dispose of the items in an incinerator for you.
Dothan Man Arrested for Inappropriate Sexual Contact
On 6/15/20, the Dothan Police Department responded to a report of sexual abuse at a local Medical Clinic in the 2800 block of Hartford Highway. It is alleged the suspect, Luther Hutto, forced inappropriate sexual contact with a female victim in the clinic. Hutto was on scene and taken into custody. After reviewing previous reports, it was determined Hutto forced inappropriate sexual contact with a female victim at a local retail store in Dothan on May 7, 2020.
Luther Wayne Hutto (22) of Midland City was arrested and charged with two counts of Sexual Abuse 1st Degree and is being held without bond on one count and $15,000 on the other count.
Dothan Man Charged with Attempted Murder in Assault
On 5/17/2020, Dothan Police Officers responded to an assault call in the 200 block of West Main Street. Officers made contact with the victim, who was unable to tell police what happened. The victim was transported to a local hospital for treatment.
Investigators from the Criminal Investigations Division began the investigation and on 5/19/20 developed a lead on a potential suspect. According to witness statements, the suspect, identified as Anthony Dozier (33) of Dothan, encountered the victim in the 200 block of West Main Street to conduct an illegal narcotics transaction. When the victim was not willing to pay, Dozier began assaulting the victim with a blunt object. Dozier, after assaulting the victim, is alleged to have taken an undetermined amount of cash from the victim. Dozier was apprehended Tuesday with the assistance of Patrol 3rd Squad Officers.
The victim in the assault is listed in critical condition.
Anthony Dozier (33) of Dothan was charged with Attempted Murder and Robbery 1st Degree and is being held without bond. Dozier is also charged with Intimidating a Witness and has a bond of $10,000.
Online extortion scams are on the rise
The FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) has seen an increase in reports of online extortion scams during the current “stay-at-home” orders due to the COVID-19 crisis. Because large swaths of the population are staying at home and likely using the computer more than usual, scammers may use this opportunity to find new victims and pressure them into sending money. The scammers are sending e-mails threatening to release sexually explicit photos or personally compromising videos to the individual’s contacts if they do not pay. While there are many variations of these online extortion attempts, they often share certain commonalities.
SCAM COMMONALTIES:
Online extortion schemes vary, but there are a few common indicators of the scam. The following characteristics are not all-inclusive but should serve as red flags. It is important to remember that scammers adapt their schemes to capitalize on current events such as the COVID-19 pandemic, high-profile breaches, or new trends involving the Internet, all in an attempt to make their scams seem more authentic.
- The online extortion attempt comes as an e-mail from an unknown party and, many times, will be written in broken English with grammatical errors.
- The recipient’s personal information is noted in the e-mail or letter to add a higher degree of intimidation to the scam. For example, the recipient’s user name or password is provided at the beginning of the e-mail or letter.
- The recipient is accused of visiting adult websites, cheating on a spouse, or being involved in other compromising situations.
- The e-mail or letter includes a statement like, “I had a serious spyware and adware infect your computer,” or “I have a recorded video of you” as an explanation of how the information was allegedly gathered.
- The e-mail or letter threatens to send a video or other compromising information to family, friends, coworkers, or social network contacts if a ransom is not paid.
- The e-mail or letter provides a short window to pay, typically 48 hours.
- The recipient is instructed to pay the ransom in Bitcoin, a virtual currency that provides a high degree of anonymity to the transactions.
TIPS TO PROTECT YOURSELF:
- Do not open e-mails or attachments from unknown individuals.
- Monitor your bank account statements regularly, and your credit report at least once a year for any unusual activity.
- Do not communicate with unsolicited e-mail senders.
- Do not store sensitive or embarrassing photos or information online or on your mobile devices.
- Use strong passwords and do not use the same password for multiple websites.
- Never provide personal information of any sort via e-mail. Be aware that many e-mails requesting your personal information appear to be legitimate.
- Ensure security settings for social media accounts are activated and set at the highest level of protection.
- Verify the web address of legitimate websites and manually type the address into your browser.
The FBI does not condone the payment of online extortion demands as the funds will facilitate continued criminal activity, including potential organized crime activity and associated violent crimes.
VICTIM REPORTING:
If you believe you have been a victim of this scam, reach out to your local FBI field office, and file a complaint with the IC3 at www.ic3.gov. Please provide any relevant information in your complaint, including the online extortion e-mail with header information and Bitcoin address if available.
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