Alabama elementary school teacher arrested on child sex crime charges
A 55-year-old elementary school teacher in Alabama has been arrested and accused of committing sexual crimes involving a student.
Johnny Mark Dunaway, a teacher at Jerry Lee Faine Elementary in Dothan, faces seven counts of enticing a child for immoral purposes, one count of sexual abuse of a child under 12 years old, and one count of interference with custody.
Police said the arrest came after repeated allegations against Dunaway that school officials initially handled internally.
Dunaway is being held without bond at the Houston County Jail.
Dothan police Lt. Scott Owens said investigators could file additional charges as the case moves forward.
Owens also said investigators will share their findings with the proper jurisdictions because Dunaway previously taught at other schools.
The investigation began on May 6 after the Houston County Department of Human Resources alerted Dothan police to reports involving a school employee accused of inappropriate conduct with a student.
Investigators learned the employee had already been placed on administrative leave and was no longer around children at the school.
Detectives later discovered that Dothan City Schools received a complaint in February alleging inappropriate conduct involving Dunaway. School officials handled the matter internally.
Another complaint surfaced on April 28 accusing Dunaway of similar inappropriate behavior involving a student.
Police said school officials once again launched an internal investigation.
Seven days later, on May 6, school officials notified the Houston County Department of Human Resources about the allegations, which were then passed on to police.
Soon after the investigation began, the student disclosed allegations of sexual crimes during a forensic interview.
Police executed a search warrant on May 13 at Dunaway’s home in Dale County. Investigators seized several items that are now undergoing forensic examination.
Authorities also issued multiple court orders involving various social media and gaming platforms.
“The level of trust given to school employees that encounter our children is not one to be taken lightly,” Police Chief William Benny said. “When there is evidence that trust has been violated, the Dothan Police Department will not hesitate to take action to protect the children in our schools.”
“The safety of our children is non-negotiable,” the chief added. “The Dothan Police Department will devote every available resource to investigating crimes against children, and anyone who exploits a position of trust to victimize a child should expect our full commitment to pursuing justice.”
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