By Jeff Devine, Dale County Chronicle
DOTHAN—A former school employee has been charged with additional felony offenses involving children as investigators continue to uncover new allegations in an ongoing criminal investigation.
According to the Dothan Police Department, Johnny Mark Dunaway, 55, of Midland City, was initially arrested following an investigation into allegations of inappropriate conduct with a student at Jerry Lee Faine Elementary School.
The investigation began on May 6 after the Houston County Department of Human Resources notified the Dothan Police Department of reports involving a school employee engaged in inappropriate activity with a student. Investigators said Dunaway had already been placed on administrative leave and was no longer around children at the school when the investigation began.
Authorities said Dothan City Schools received a report in February alleging inappropriate conduct by Dunaway. The complaint was handled internally by the school system. A second report involving similar allegations was made on April 28, 2026, and Dothan City Schools again began an internal investigation.
Police said the school system notified the Houston County Department of Human Resources on May 6, seven days after receiving the second complaint. DHR then forwarded the information to the Dothan Police Department for criminal investigation.
Dothan City Schools released a statement Wednesday evening following Dunaway’s arrest, emphasizing that student safety remains the system’s highest priority.
“The safety and well-being of Dothan City Schools students remain the highest priority of Board Chairman Dr. Turner, the Dothan City Board of Education, and Superintendent Askew, and will always be the system’s top priority of this administration,” school officials said in a statement.
School officials also noted that Dunaway was hired by Dothan City Schools in July 2021 under a different superintendent and school board chairman than those currently serving.
During the investigation, a forensic interview was conducted with the student, during which allegations of sexual crimes involving Dunaway were disclosed, according to investigators.
On May 13, authorities executed a search warrant at Dunaway’s residence in Dale County seeking evidence related to the allegations. Police said several items were seized and remain under forensic examination. Investigators also obtained court orders for records from various social media and gaming platforms as part of the investigation.
Dunaway was initially charged with seven counts of Enticing a Child for Immoral Purposes, one count of Sexual Abuse of a Child Less Than 12 Years Old, and one count of Interference with Custody. He was booked into the Houston County Jail and held without bond.
On Friday, May 29, the Dothan Police Department announced that additional charges had been filed after investigators identified another alleged juvenile victim.
According to police, the department’s Special Investigation Unit received a report on May 22 involving an additional juvenile victim connected to Dunaway. Investigators conducted a full investigation into the allegations, including a forensic interview with the juvenile.
As a result of that investigation, Dunaway was charged on May 28 with three additional counts of Enticing a Child for Immoral Purposes. A judge set bond at $100,000 for each of the new charges.
Investigators said evidence in the case is still being processed and the investigation remains active. Authorities indicated that additional charges cannot be ruled out as more information becomes available.
Due to Alabama laws protecting the privacy of juvenile victims, police said specific details regarding the allegations cannot be released.
Investigators have also stated that information developed during the case will be shared with other jurisdictions because of Dunaway’s previous teaching positions.
“The level of trust given to school employees that encounter our children is not one to be taken lightly,” the Dothan Police Department said in an earlier statement. “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 department emphasized that crimes involving children remain a top priority.
“The safety of our children is non-negotiable,” the department stated. “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.”
The investigation remains ongoing.
In our criminal justice system, all suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
