Police dog finds alleged pedophile after he runs away

Copyright © 2009
Gallup Independent
By Phil Stake
Staff writer

WILLIAMS ACRES — Deputies nabbed a suspected pedophile Wednesday morning with the help of Spike, a police dog.

A mother contacted police about 1:30 a.m., reporting that a 24-year-old man had touched her 9-year-old daughter inappropriately, according to McKinley County Sheriff’s Deputy D.J. Murphy’s report. The mother’s name is withheld to protect the identity of the victim.

The mother told police that her daughter came into her bedroom about 1:30 a.m. and said “Phonzie” was saying bad words, and that he had touched her “down there.” The mother told police her daughter was crying. “Phonzie” refers to Alphonzo Wilson, 24, of Window Rock, who was staying with the family. The mother told police Wilson was drunk and raised his voice when she approached him about the accusations.

When she called 911, Wilson fled.

McKinley County Sheriff’s Sgt. John Trevor Smith arrived about 2 a.m. and searched the area using a police dog named Spike. Without a direction to search or light to search by, Spike lit out after the human scent, which was apparently wafting through the air above the field. After about 15 minutes combing the field, Spike pulled hard as Trevor-Smith approached a large bush in the dark. Inside the bush was Alphonzo Wilson. He was arrested and booked at Gallup McKinley Adult Detention Center on one count of criminal sexual contact of a minor, a second-degree felony, and for possessing paraphernalia.