DA Accepts Dalton’s Plea

Case Involved Rape of a Minor

By Marla Jones

Managing Editor

marla@southerntorch.com

DEKALB CO., Ala-- Former DeKalb County Teacher Dustin Wade Dalton, 29, entered pleas of guilty to three felony sex offenses Monday morning in Circuit Court at the DeKalb County Courthouse.

He was convicted of one count of Sodomy in the Second Degree and two counts of being a teacher having sexual contact with a student under nineteen years old. He was sentenced by Circuit Judge Jeremy Taylor to sentences totaling 10 years in state prison. He will be required to serve three years in prison before his release to serve another five years on supervised probation. As a result of the convictions, Dalton will be a lifetime registered sex offender upon his release.

Chief Deputy District Attorney Bob Johnston said, “The plea agreement was reached after several meetings with grieving family members. As always, we want to achieve accountability and just punishment while reducing any further trauma to victims of child sexual abuse. We are grateful for the brave students who came forward and hope this can help them feel a measure of closure and peace.” Johnston also thanked the long hours of investigation and interviews conducted by the Child Abuse Review Team of DeKalb County including Investigator Priscilla Padgett, the DeKalb County DHR, the CAC, and members of the DeKalb County Board of Education.

The TImeline for Dalton’s plea is as follows:

In October 2020, Dustin Wade Dalton (28 of Rainsville) was charged with Enticing a Child for Immoral Purposes and Dissemination of Obscene Material.

DeKalb County Sheriff Nick Welden said of the incident: “This is an absolutely unfortunate event that has happened in our quiet Town of Sylvania. We want to thank the community for coming forward with information that aided us in conducting this investigation.”

“We would like to ask for prayer for the victims and their families. Protecting our youth from this type of behavior is a top priority here at the Sheriff’s Office,” said Welden.

ON TUESDAY, OCTOBER 6: Dalton was released on a $100,000 bond with no preliminary hearing in Judge Steve Whitmire’s courtroom. The defendant’s attorney is Stephen Bussman.

“This is so frustrating, working endless hours on a case to only see them walk out of your jail on a $100,000 bond,” said DeKalb Co. Sheriff Nick Welden.

Dustin Dalton, 29 was indicted by the Grand Jury on June 22, 2021, on 24 charges by Grand Jury. Dalton was booked into the DeKalb County Detention Center at 6:49 p.m, June 22.

The indictment list for Dalton shows eight different victims, identified by initials and ages.

Charges were as follows: (Charges may be updated)

• Distribution of Obscene Material

• Enticing Child

• Solicit Sex Act W/Student

• Dissemination of Obscene Material

• School Emp Sex W/Student

• Sexual Abuse 1st

• Sexual Abuse 2nd

• Dissemination of Obscene Material

• School Emp Sex W/Student Attempted

• School Emp Sex W/Student

• School Emp Sex W/ Student

• Production of Porn with Minors

• Sodomy 1st

The bond for Dalton was set at $393,875

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