Category: Press Releases

(DOTHAN, Ala.) On September 10, 2026, just before 5:00 pm, the Dothan Police Department received reports of a male with a gunshot wound in the 600 block of Moates Street.  Officers quickly responded to the area where they found the victim attempting to drive himself to the hospital.  Officers provided medical aid until the victim could be transported to a local hospital for treatment.  At the hospital, it was determined the victim had two gunshot wounds to the back.  The victim was treated and released the same day.

As criminal investigators began the investigation, it was discovered the victim went to meet an individual in the area of the shooting to make a drug purchase.  As the victim got to the area for the purchase, he quickly realized he was being set up to be robbed.  As he fled the area, two individuals fired rounds from handguns in his direction resulting in the two gunshot wounds.

Investigators worked several leads to find those responsible.  As a result of their hard work, investigators found one suspect, Zy’Keria Akeelha Andrews (20) of Dothan, was the person who set up the robbery.  Police also arrested two juveniles, a 16-year-old and a 17-year-old, as the ones responsible for shooting the victim as he fled.  Andrews was charged with one count of Robbery 1^st degree and booked into the Houston County Jail with a $90,000 bond.  The two juveniles were charged as adults with one count of Robbery 1^st degree, one count of Assault 1^st degree, and one count of Shooting into an Occupied Vehicle.  Both juveniles were booked into the Houston County Jail and are being held without bond.  Due to juvenile privacy laws in Alabama, no further information about the juveniles is available.  The investigation is still ongoing and more charges are possible.

-Chief William E. Benny

(DOTHAN, Ala.)  On June 15, 2026, the Dothan Police Department, through their membership in the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, received a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children of images depicting child sexual abuse material were shared on the social chatting website Discord.  Investigators received identifying information for the computer sharing the images and began sending search warrants out for multiple online platforms and applications.

As a result of the search warrants, the person was identified as Phillip Tyler Stanley (37) of Dothan.  The investigation revealed that, on several occasions, Stanley used a Discord chat to talk to other individuals about child sexual abuse materials.  On different chats, Stanley sent images of children that appear between the ages of 10 years old and 15 years old to different users.  Stanley told others in those chats that he was interested in females under the age of 10.

The investigation resulted in Stanley’s arrest at his residence on Whatley Drive on September 4, 2026.  A search for the username associated with the Discord chat revealed child sexual abuse materials were shared and possessed at hotels, places of employment, and the residence associated with Stanley.  Stanley was charged with 12 counts of Possession of Child Sexual Abuse Material and three counts of Dissemination of Child Sexual Abuse Material.  Stanley was booked into the Houston County Jail and is being held without bond.

This investigation remains ongoing. Dothan Police investigators continue to follow leads involving additional online accounts and application platforms and are examining electronic devices and other digital evidence collected during the execution of the search warrant.  The Dothan Police Department remains vigilant in the protection of not only our young children, but people of all ages when it comes to exploitation. We encourage anyone with information regarding this investigation or similar criminal activity to contact the Dothan Police Department or provide information through Crime Stoppers if you wish to remain anonymous.  Additional charges are possible.

-Chief William E. Benny

(DOTHAN, Ala.) On August 31, 2026, Dothan Police School Resource Officers responded to reports of a fight between a student who was under the age of 10 and a DCS volunteer teacher at Jerry Lee Faine Elementary School.  According to reports, the suspect, identified as Oscar Truitt Jr. (77) of Dothan, got into an altercation with a student over Pokémon cards.

Video surveillance showed Truitt striking the child several times during the altercation.  Truitt has been charged with Harassment and booked into the Dothan City Jail.  The safety of students is the top priority of the Dothan Police Department’s role in Dothan City Schools.

-Chief William E. Benny

(DOTHAN, Ala.) On June 4, 2026, the Dothan Police Department, in partnership as a member of the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, received a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children of images and videos being shared depicting child sexual abuse material.  Preliminary information on the tip suggested the account linked to the images and videos was in Dothan.  The Special Investigations Unit began sending legal processes to identify the owner of the data sharing account.

Investigators identified Taylor Andrew Prescott (22) as the owner of the accounts, and the images were possessed in Dothan.  Prescott was charged with one count of Transmitting Obscene Material to a Child, 34 counts of Possession of Child Sexual Abuse Material, and one count of Production of Child Sexual Abuse Material.  Prescott left Dothan prior to warrants being issued.  Prescott was apprehended in Ocala, FL on August 18, 2026, by the United States Marshal Service Fugitive Task Force.  Prescott was found in possession of a firearm and an undetermined amount of fentanyl.  Once released from charges in Florida, Prescott will be extradited to Alabama and be booked into the Houston County Jail.

-Chief William E. Benny

(DOTHAN, Ala.) On July 29, 2026, the Dothan Police Department was notified that a suspect wanted for Kidnapping of a Minor and Probation Revocation charges from Orlando, FL was possibly in the Dothan area.  Orlando Police Investigators also relayed that there was an emergency pick-up order for a child under 10 years old out of Orange County, Florida that was currently with the suspect.  The suspect was identified as Jenay Dominique Burns (38).  Florida authorities used License Plate Readers (LPR) to confirm the vehicle was near the Dothan area.

Investigators with Dothan Police Department and Houston County Sheriff’s Office assigned to the United States Marshal Service Gulf Coast Regional Fugitive Task Force immediately began following leads and utilizing all available technology in order to assist in locating Burns and the child.

With the description of the vehicle and photos from the LPRs, Dothan Police Drone Operators utilized drones to locate the vehicle on West Main Street.  The vehicle was described as a red Nissan Rogue with a Florida Tag.

Based on that information, investigators were able to locate and stop the vehicle near the intersection of U.S. 231 South and Highway 109 just south of Dothan.  Burns was taken into custody without incident.  Burns was transported to the Houston County Jail to await extradition back to Florida.  The missing child was found in the vehicle and taken into the custody of the Department of Human Resources.  DHR will facilitate the return of the child to family members in Florida.

The Dothan Police Department would like to thank the Houston County Sheriff’s Office and the United States Marshal Service for their assistance in getting Burns into custody and starting a path to reuniting this child with her family in Florida.  This case was a great example of how layers of technology, good police work, and interagency cooperation can help lead to successful resolutions of potentially dangerous situations.

-Chief William E. Benny

(DOTHAN, Ala.)  On June 20, 2026, the Dothan Police Department was notified of a potential crime involving a child less than 12 years old.  According to complaints, the child told their parent that the suspect, Desmi Archimedes-Martinez Flowers (29) of Dothan, had inappropriate sexual contact with her about a year prior.  Investigators immediately began looking into the case.

Through the help of the Southeast Alabama Child Advocacy Center, the victim disclosed that, between October 2024 and January 2025, Flowers had sexual contact with the child on several occasions.  The abuse stopped in January 2025 when Flowers was asked to leave because of inappropriate conduct with the child.

Flowers has been charged with two counts of Sexual Abuse of a Child less than 12 years old, two counts of Sexual Torture, and three counts of Sodomy 1^st degree.  Flowers was booked into the Houston County Jail where he is being held without bond.  More charges are possible as the investigation remains ongoing.

-Chief William E. Benny