Wicksburg – According to a statement from the Houston County Sheriff’s Office, deputies are investigating a forcible rape that occurred earlier this month near the Wicksburg community.
The incident was reported on Jan. 12, 2026, at a residence along West U.S. 84. The statement says the offender entered the home wearing a mask and sexually assaulted the victim.
Investigators spent the next two weeks processing evidence and conducting multiple interviews. That work led deputies to identify a suspect in the case.
According to the statement, Joshua Patrick Yance, 28, of Dothan, was arrested on Jan. 30, 2026, and charged with one count of first-degree rape.
Yance was transported to the Houston County Jail, where he is being held without bond. The case remains under investigation.
