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Name:
Bentley, Dennis Joseph
Date of Booking:
06/29/2026
Reason(s) For Booking:
Theft by Shoplifting – $500 or Less
Interference With Government Property – Felony
Disorderly Conduct
Disorderly Conduct
Contempt of Municipal Court
Officer’s Narrative:
[Please note: The following is a direct transcription from the official initial incident report. The Georgia Gazette does not fix any spelling or grammatical errors that may exist. Any changes or redactions made by our staff are placed inside brackets. Some errors may exist. All subjects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The topics discussed may be sensitive to some readers. Discretion is advised.]
On 06/28/2026, I, Ptl. J. Jackson, responded to 713 S. Slappey Blvd., Albany, Georgia, in reference to a theft by shoplifting complaint.
Upon arrival, I observed a Black male, later identified as Dennis Bentley, wearing a black shirt and blue jeans, walking in the alleyway behind Piggly Wiggly Grocery Store, located at 1032 W. Gordon Ave. I observed Bentley carrying three unopened cans of beer in his hand and one unopened can of beer in his left rear pants pocket. The cans were cold to the touch.
I activated my emergency lights and siren and made contact with Bentley. I exited my patrol vehicle and instructed him to place the beer cans (Budweiser, Edge) on the ground. Bentley complied. I then instructed him to place his hands behind his back, and he complied. I secured Bentley in handcuffs, double-locked them, and escorted him to the rear of my patrol vehicle. Deputy Dennis with the Dougherty County Sheriff’s Office conducted a search incident to arrest. Bentley was then placed in the rear seat of my patrol vehicle.
I recovered the four cans of beer and returned them to the store manager, [WITNESS #1].
[WITNESS #1] stated that Bentley initially entered the store, selected a beer, opened it, and began drinking it inside the business. [WITNESS #1] stated he then contacted law enforcement. According to [WITNESS #1], Bentley left the store while drinking the beer but later returned and took four additional cans of beer. [WITNESS #1] stated he instructed Bentley to return the beer, but Bentley refused and began cursing at him. [WITNESS #1] further stated that while he attempted to recover the beer, Bentley yelled inside the store and spit on a window near the cashier. [WITNESS #1] advised that he wished to have Bentley criminally trespassed from the business. [WITNESS #1] estimated the value of the four cans of beer at approximately $20.00.
I transported Bentley to the Dougherty County Jail. While transporting him, I observed on the in-car camera that Bentley was manipulating an unknown object in the rear seat area. I instructed Bentley to stop handling the object; however, he continued to be argumentative and stated, “I’m going to get out this car.” I then observed Bentley holding a dark-colored object, which he placed between the bars of the rear seat before throwing it out of the patrol vehicle window. I also observed that the right rear passenger-side interior door handle had been removed.
Upon arrival at the Dougherty County Jail, Bentley was turned over to jail staff without further incident.
Photographs of the recovered beer were taken, uploaded to a disc, and submitted to Albany Police Department Property and Evidence in Locker #02.
The following warrants were obtained:
Warrant No. 26-008825-01 Theft by Shoplifting
Warrant No. 26-008825-02 Disorderly Conduct
Warrant No. 26-008825-03 Interference with Government Property
I gathered all relevant party information and conducted a GCIC/NCIC inquiry, which revealed an active Municipal Court warrant for Failure to Appear.
This case is cleared by arrest.
[End of Narrative]
All information is sourced directly from the official, public court database. Case history is organized and curated by The Georgia Gazette staff. The “What this means:” explanations are written by AI and reviewed by our staff before publishing.
Court records are subject to change at the court’s discretion. The Georgia Gazette is not responsible for errors or omissions. Nothing here is legal advice. All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Case History:
6/29/26
BOND SET WITH SPECIAL CONDITIONS — DENNIS JOSEPH BENTLEY
What this means: A judge in the Magistrate Court of Dougherty County ordered that Dennis Joseph Bentley be released from custody on a $1,000 bond in connection with a charge of Theft by Shoplifting. However, the release comes with a specific condition: Bentley is required to stay away completely from Whistle in Albany, Georgia — meaning no contact of any kind, whether in person, by phone, or through any other means. Bentley signed the order on June 29, 2026, acknowledging that he understands the conditions. If there is credible evidence that he violated any condition of this bond, the bond can be revoked immediately, he would not be entitled to a second bond, and he could be arrested for Criminal Trespass or cited for contempt of court.