Updated 8-29-17 12:05 p.m.
Woods was re-arrested on Monday on the charges for which he was indicted. He was given a $141,000 property bond and has since bonded out.
CULLMAN COUNTY – A Fairview man was indicted on July 20 on two counts of first-degree human trafficking. The indictments are the first for human trafficking in Cullman County history.
A grand jury returned two true bills of indictment for Kenneth Loyd Woods, 49, stemming from his arrest on May 9, 2017.
Of his arrest, the Cullman County Sheriff’s Office said at the time, “During an investigation, Cullman County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) investigators learned that Woods, a registered sex offender, was possibly distributing pills and alcohol to underage students at a Cullman County high school. As the investigation progressed it was determined that the suspect would allegedly demand payment, ‘other than a monetary value,’ for the pills and alcohol that he was selling to the underage students.”
The Tribune has learned from multiple sources that the high school was Fairview High School.
Woods is now facing a total of eight felony charges.
The first indictment is for electronic solicitation of a child, transmission of obscene material to a minor, second-degree rape, enticing a child for immoral purposes and first-degree human trafficking.
The second is for electronic solicitation of a child, transmission of obscene material to a minor and first-degree human trafficking.
Woods was jailed on a $165,000 cash bond back on May 9; however, his attorneys, Berry, Berry, Little and Chaney, filed a motion to convert his bond to property on May 15, citing Woods’ chronic health issues, disability, age, lack of means to flee, strong ties to the community, number of family members willing to post his bond and that Woods is “not a threat to society.” According to court records, Cullman County District Judge Rusty Turner signed the order converting Woods’ bond to a $400,000 property bond on May 15. Woods’ family bonded him out shortly after.
According to the Code of Alabama, A person commits the crime of human trafficking in the first degree if:
(1) He or she knowingly subjects another person to labor servitude or sexual servitude through use of coercion or deception.
(2) He or she knowingly obtains, recruits, entices, solicits, induces, threatens, isolates, harbors, holds, restrains, transports, provides, or maintains any minor for the purpose of causing a minor to engage in sexual servitude.
As of press time, Loyd has not yet been re-arrested.
Cullman County District Attorney Wilson Blaylock was mum on details of the case, saying, “I’d rather not say any more specifics. I just want to let that (human trafficking definition) stand on its own.”
Blaylock is a member of the Cullman County Human Trafficking Task Force, along with chairperson Kathy Wilson, who said, “As the task force chair and a juvenile probation officer this is great news, but also very sad. I couldn't be more pleased with the efforts of our law enforcement and DA's office! They work tirelessly on keeping our community safe. We knew it was only a matter of time before our city was exposed to this epidemic.”
Blaylock said Woods could face from 10-99 years or even life in prison if convicted.
Woods’ next scheduled court date is for further pleading on Oct. 13. A jury trial is set for Dec. 11.
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