Houston County Sheriff Donald Valenza put out a warning Friday – local law enforcement is serious about stopping local gun violence and the illegal possession of firearms.
“With the events going on in Dothan right now, the Dothan Police Department and the Houston County Sheriff’s Office are going to be on the streets taking back these illegal possession of firearms,” Valenza said during a Friday press conference.
“I mean when it comes down to where you’re 14 years old and pull a gun out and kill two people standing in front of you – that’s a problem,” Valenza said. “… If you don’t get a hold of it before it starts or you don’t get a grasp on it once it’s started, you’re not going to stop it.” Damien Antwon Jackson, 35, of Dothan, Anthony Jerome Thomas, 33, of Dothan, Travis Santel Poke, 42, of Dothan, and Johny Fitzgerald Jones, 34, of Dothan were each charged with drug trafficking, possession with intent to distribute, and possession of marijuana first degree. The total bond for each of them was set at $1.54 million.
“We recovered another 14-year-old with a firearm in this traffic stop,” Valenza said. “ … I don’t know where all this violence, where they’re picking it up at. We have obtained a video that shows in the video multiple, what appear to be very young, teenagers with firearms. It’s like they’re celebrating.”
The sheriff emphasized that while the department will be on the streets working to get illegal guns, they’re not going to violate anyone’s rights to carry firearms. But, he said, deputies need the help of residents. Valenza asked residents to be patient while law enforcement does its work.
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