FRANKLIN
Man guilty in sex case
A South Carolina man who used social media to groom then entice an underage teen to meet him in both Franklin and Cherokee recently pleaded guilty to statutory rape, District Attorney Ashley Welch said.
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Jonathan A. Wyles, 34, of Lancaster, S.C., had sexual intercourse three times in December 2021 with the then-15 year old. Statutory rape applies to a defendant who is at least six years older than a 13, 14 or 15 year old.
Senior Resident Superior Court Judge Bill Coward sentenced Wyles to serve in prison a minimum of 240 months up to a maximum of 348 months.
“This situation serves as a cautionary tale for parents or guardians,” Welch said. “The defendant preyed on this child after targeting her for exploitation in a teen hangout.”
The victim’s mother reported to Franklin police that her child had been sexually assaulted after the mother discovered incriminating messages on a phone. Earlier that same month, Wyles had devised a plan for the teenager to tell her mother that she would be staying with a friend, but instead she met with him.
WAYNESVILLE
Woman guilty of drug sales
A Haywood County jury recently found a Tennessee woman guilty of trafficking illegal drugs, District Attorney Ashley Welch said.
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Christina Hutslar, 27, of Johnson City, Tenn., was arrested July 15, 2022, with co-defendant Allen White, 31, of Knoxville, Tenn. He pleaded guilty in December to trafficking.
Haywood County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Nathan DeWeese, a member of the Criminal Suppression Unit, spotted a Hyundi car with Hutslar at the wheel on U.S. 23/74 near Waynesville. A check of the car’s Tennessee registration plate showed the vehicle had been stolen. DeWeese initiated a traffic stop and blocked the Hyundai at a service station.
In a search of the vehicle, law enforcement officers discovered drug paraphernalia and a large amount of methamphetamine. Hutslar was found guilty of two counts of trafficking in methamphetamine by possessing 400 grams or more. Jurors acquitted Hutslar on two counts of conspiracy. She received a minimum prison sentence of 225 months up to a maximum prison sentence of 282 months.
From staff reports.