Pike County sheriff responds to complaint filed by Dothan attorney

Pike County Sheriff Russell Thomas is speaking out after a Dothan attorney claimed he was in contempt of court for not releasing an accused sex offender on his set bond.

David Benton – Photo from Pike County Sheriff’s Office

On April 6, Pike County Circuit Judge Shannon Clark set David Benton’s bond at $2.2 million.

Benton was arrested in March and indicted on four counts of first degree sodomy, one count of first degree rape, 14 counts of sexual abuse of a child under the age of 12 and 18 counts of production of obscene material.

According to Dothan attorney Billy Sheffield, when Benton’s family and the bondsman, Rickey Stokes, went to post bail at the Pike County Jail on May 15, staff told them they needed to go through the sheriff.

Sheffield says despite the bond being set, Sheriff Thomas allegedly refused to release Benton.

Sheriff Thomas said that is not the case.

“That Tuesday is when I had the complaint filed against me,” said Sheriff Thomas. “The complaint was filed against me before our office was notified that Rickey Stokes was a certified agent. Legally, he cannot make the bond.”

The next day, Stokes was approved as a certified agent, but Sheriff Thomas said Stokes later reached out to him saying he would not be able to make bond after all due to the company being new and having insufficient funds.

The complaint was ultimately dismissed.