LOXLEY, Alabama — A Baldwin County grand jury has indicted a Loxley man on charges connected to an alleged assault involving a 13-year-old girl.
Claude L. Dailey, 36, of Totter Ridge Road, faces first-degree charges that carry a potential sentence of more than 10 years in prison if he is convicted, according to Baldwin County court records.
Court filings indicate the incident took place in June of last year and that the teenage girl was taken to a Mobile hospital for treatment following the encounter. Investigators say Dailey later gave officers an account of his contact with the girl that conflicted with the injuries reported.
Records show Dailey has prior felony convictions for robbery and drug possession. He was released from the Baldwin County Corrections Center in October after posting $50,000 bail, and no additional information on his custody status was available following the indictment.
The indictment moves the case into Baldwin County Circuit Court, where Dailey is expected to be arraigned on the charges. As is standard practice in cases involving minors, the identity of the girl has not been released.
Baldwin County’s grand jury meets periodically to review cases presented by the district attorney’s office before deciding whether sufficient evidence exists to proceed to trial. An indictment reflects that a panel of citizens found probable cause to move forward, not a finding of guilt.
Loxley, an unincorporated community in central Baldwin County, has seen steady population growth in recent years as families move to the area for its proximity to Interstate 10 and Baldwin County schools. Additional hearings in the case are expected in the coming months as prosecutors and defense attorneys prepare.
Baldwin County has one of the fastest-growing populations in Alabama, and its court system has correspondingly seen a steady caseload tied to that growth. Local officials have said additional judges and support staff have been added in recent years to help the circuit court keep pace with the county’s expansion.