PICKENS COUNTY, Ala. — Five individuals, including four school employees and one police officer in Aliceville, have been arrested amid ongoing investigations involving child sexual abuse material. Authorities say the arrests resulted from a coordinated effort by the District Attorney’s Office, the Aliceville Police Department, the Alabama State Bureau of Investigation, and Homeland Security Investigations in Birmingham. All five suspects are currently being held at the Pickens County Jail, and officials indicate additional arrests and charges may follow.
The four school employees arrested are Antavious Belgrave, Lakethia Wilkins, Roderick Granger, and Winston Bishop. The fifth person arrested is Aliceville Police Officer Caminion Gary, who previously went by the name Caminion Hughes, according to Mayor Terrence Windham. Officer Gary has been placed on administrative leave without pay.
Aliceville Police Chief Tonnie Jones said the department had been investigating multiple incidents within the school system and involved several agencies in a lengthy probe. “We’ve been working several incidents in our school system, we’ve called several agencies in to assist with our lengthy investigation, and the Aliceville police department was unaware of the investigation of one of our own officers,” Jones said.
While authorities did not disclose the exact number of victims, Chief Jones emphasized the seriousness of the situation: “There are a lot of victims, there are a lot of victims,” he said, asking the community to keep the affected individuals in their thoughts.
The Pickens County School System confirmed its awareness of the arrests and stated it is cooperating fully with law enforcement. The district reassured families that student safety, well-being, and education remain top priorities and emphasized that the actions of a few individuals do not reflect the professionalism of its staff.
Community members expressed shock at the news. Michelle Mayhew, whose grandchildren attend Aliceville schools, said, “I couldn’t believe it because he really helped them with math — it’s such a close-knit community you wouldn’t think anything like this would go on.” Mayhew also mentioned that she has sheltered her grandchildren from the situation while continuing to monitor developments.
Authorities stress that the investigation is ongoing, and more charges or arrests may occur as the case unfolds.
