EMA director likely won’t face charges: Sources

DOTHAN, Ala. (WTVY) -According to sources, suspended Houston County Emergency Management Agency Director Chris Judah won’t face criminal charges unless investigators discover further information.

However, his possible reinstatement is another matter.

County commissioners placed Judah on paid leave until an investigation is completed, with that probe likely taking longer than first believed, according to Chairman Brandon Shoupe who did not implicate Judah of crimes.

One issue under examination is former EMA contract employee Jesse Ryan Taylor, suspected of stealing Fentanyl, a potentially deadly drug, from the Dothan Fire Department while working there.

According to sources, despite knowing of Taylor’s past, Judah gave him access to the Emergency Operations Center, where he gained access to privileged communications from 911 dispatchers who worked in the same building.

Taylor then used that information in his other job as a writer for Rickey Stokes News, a website known for its coverage of breaking news.

Stokes, who police have not implicated, is a staunch Judah supporter who worked for EMA until June 2020.

Amy Johnson Granberry, the assistant supervisor of 911 communications, is also charged. Both she and Taylor face a dozen counts of computer tampering.

Information provided by the Houston County Sheriff’s Office on Wednesday morning alarmed commissioners so much that they called an emergency meeting that day to discuss Judah’s job performance, Chairman Brandon Shoupe said.

Judah, who received praise for his handling of Hurricane Michael in 2018, left immediately after the vote to place him on leave without commenting.

Shoupe did not specify on Thursday the reason he believed the investigation could take longer than first thought but hopes that commissioners resolve the matter soon.

One county commissioner scrutinized Judah in 2020, claiming he failed to fulfill his employment agreement because he did not obtain certification.

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