Dezmond Turner, 32, was arrested and charged with two felony counts related to the abuse and torture of a minor and another count for inappropriate sexual conduct; he was also removed from his job in schools in Shelby County
In a shocking event that shakes the structures of activism in the state of Alabama, the president of Central Alabama Pride, Dezmond Turner, a 32-year-old resident of Ashville, Ala., has been arrested and formally charged with serious criminal offenses involving child abuse and unlawful sexual conduct.
The top representative of the main gay pride organization based in Birmingham, who simultaneously served as a school bus aide in the Shelby County Schools, faces two felony charges of child abuse and torture along with a misdemeanor charge of inappropriate sexual conduct.
Dezmond Turner
His arrest was carried out jointly by the Pelham Police Department and the Shelby County Sheriff's Office on September 14, 2026 (publicly reported on Wednesday, September 16, 2026).
Following the disclosure of the judicial accusations, the vice president of the Central Alabama Pride organization, Hunter Rowe, confirmed that Dezmond Turner recently submitted his resignation as president of the entity. Meanwhile, officials from the Shelby County Schools district confirmed that Dezmond Turner is an employee of the institution and was immediately suspended from his duties under administrative leave while the criminal investigation continues.
The school system issued an official statement saying: “The school system is cooperating with the appropriate agencies investigating the matter”, adding that “Our students and families place their trust in us every day, and we remain committed to honoring that trust through thoughtful, responsible, and appropriate actions”.
Dezmond Turner
According to the criminal complaints filed in the Shelby County District Court, Dezmond Turner faces two felony charges of child abuse and torture. The court documents indicate that the incidents occurred in late August and early September of 2026 on a school bus, where Dezmond Turner had “care, custody, or responsibility, permanent or temporary, for the supervision” of the student. The filings detail two specific physical assaults:
August 31, 2026: Dezmond Turner allegedly “grabbed the victim's head and slammed it multiple times against the bus wall”.
September 1, 2026: Dezmond Turner reportedly attacked the minor again by “slapping the child's face with an open hand, applying his body weight, and pressing the child's head against the wall”, in order to make space for a registered nurse (RN) to pass through the bus aisle.
Dezmond Turner
In addition to the charges of school torture, law enforcement executed an outstanding arrest warrant from January 2024 related to a charge of inappropriate sexual conduct, classified as a misdemeanor. According to police reports, the incidents occurred on two occasions during December 2023. Court records state that Dezmond Turner“grabbed the groin and buttocks of another person without their consent on several occasions”.
In the judicial sphere, Dezmond Turner was booked and taken into the Shelby County Jail. The judge set bail amounts at $15,000 for each of the two charges of child abuse and torture (totaling $30,000) and $2,000 for the charge of inappropriate sexual conduct, establishing a total bail of $32,000. According to records from the correctional facility, Dezmond Turner was released after posting the sum of $32,000 on Wednesday, September 16, 2026.
