MARBLE
Man admits 10 charges
 |
A Cherokee County convicted felon who stole a vehicle after breaking into the victim’s home and firing shots at him has pleaded guilty to 10 criminal charges.
District Attorney Ashley Hornsby Welch said that Jason William Burrell, 42, admitted Feb. 21 in Cherokee County Superior Court to:
- Assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill.
- Breaking/entering.
- Larceny of motor vehicle.
- Robbery with dangerous weapon.
- Possession stolen motor vehicle.
- Larceny of motor vehicle.
- Flee/elude.
- Possession methamphetamine.
- Maintain vehicle/dwelling/place for controlled substance.
- Possess firearm by felon.
Chief Resident Superior Court Judge Bill Coward sentenced Burrell to serve in Division of Adult Correction a minimum total of 131 months and a maximum total of 182 months.
On Jan. 19, 2020, Burrell sneaked onto the victim’s property on Cook Bridge Road and opened the trunk of his car. As the victim, who was inside his home, walked toward the front door with a flashlight, Burrell opened the door to the house and entered the house.
The victim fled into the kitchen, then the bedroom. Wielding a handgun, Burrell fired multiple shots. The victim flung his flashlight at Burrell, who ran out of the house and sped away in the victim’s car.
On Jan. 21, 2020, Burrell entered the Quick Pantry in Marble, holding the cashier at gunpoint and demanding money.
The next day, a deputy spotted the stolen car in Andrews. Officers chased it, arresting Burrell after he wrecked the vehicle on Junaluska Road. In the car, officers found a Taurus .38-caliber revolver, meth and drug paraphernalia.
MURPHY
Sex assault leads to jail
 |
Harry James Verner, 21, of Murphy, was sentenced by Judge Peter Knight in Cherokee County Superior Court on March 9 to a 60-month probationary sentence for engaging in indecent liberties with a minor in 2018.
Verner will also be required to register as a sex offender for the next 30 years.
In October 2018, the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a minor girl being sexually assaulted by Verner. During the investigation, HAVEN Children’s Advocacy Center assisted, and investigators were able to obtain a warrant for the arrest of Verner.
“I want to give thanks to HAVEN. They are a super tool in our fight against exploitation of our children,” Chief Deputy Joe Wood said in a release. “These investigations are extremely difficult, but with this outstanding resource we are able to get the case to the district attorney so they can get justice for the victims.”
To report suspicious activity and suspect violations of the law, call 828-837-1344 or email a tip to crime.tips@cherokeecounty-nc.gov.
MURPHY
Search ends with charges
 |
The Cherokee County North Carolina Sheriff’s Office announced the March 13 arrest of Dexter Dean Hubbard II, 39, and Madison Amanda Kincaid, 23, at their residence on Gold Branch Road for the alleged illegal possession and distribution of controlled substances.
On March 9, sheriff’s detectives executed a search warrant at a residence jointly shared by Hubbard and Kincaid. During the search, a trafficking amount of illegally possessed controlled substances believed to be heroin was found, along with a substance believed to be methamphetamine.
Hubbard was arrested at his residence and placed in the Cherokee County Detention Center on charges of trafficking in opium and heroin, possession of methamphetamine and maintaining a dwelling for the use of a controlled substance. The magistrate set a $200,000 secure bond and set a court date for Thursday, March 24.
 |
Kincaid was arrested at her residence, placed in the Cherokee County Detention Center and charged with trafficking in opium and heroin, possession of methamphetamine. The magistrate set a $200,000 secure bond and set a March 24 court date.
“I want to bring your attention to the fact this is an ongoing investigation into individuals who are distributing controlled substances illegally. If you are one of those individuals be warned stop or else,” Chief Deputy Joe Wood said in a release.
“If you haven’t been made aware a majority of heroin and methamphetamine is being adulterated with fentanyl to cause the user a greater dependency, and the end result is often death. This arrest is a direct result of the team work this office is having with our community’s team in our battle with drugs in Cherokee County.”
MURPHY
Graves gets jail for drugs
 |
Jeremiah Graves, 40, of Murphy, was sentenced by Judge Peter Knight in Cherokee County Superior Court on March 7 to an active sentence of 70-93 months in the N.C. Department of Adult Corrections, with credit for 360 days of confinement, for trafficking in heroin.
On Jan. 16, detectives and deputies from Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant at 34 Randy Lane. During the search, a trafficking amount of heroin was seized as well as a firearm and multiple items of drug paraphernalia.
“We continue to encourage our community to partner with us in this fight, as you can see from this particular case the community’s input is invaluable,” Chief Deputy Joe Wood said in a release.
MURPHY
Kidnapping sentencing
 |
Nathanael James Raper, 37, of Murphy, was sentenced by Judge Peter Knight in Cherokee County Superior Court on March 9, to 51-84 months in the N.C. Department of Adult Corrections upon his guilty plea to aggravated assault and kidnapping.
In February 2021, the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office responded to a residence to investigate a report that Raper had violated a Domestic Violence Protective Order. Deputies were able to arrest Raper and, during a subsequent follow up by detectives, information was obtained that the victim had received a broken jaw during a physical assault by Raper, and that he had kidnapped her during the incident.
“There is no place for domestic violence anywhere,” Chief Deputy Joe Wood said in a release.
SYLVA
Guilty of sex crimes
A man who had sex multiple times with an underage teen, impregnating her, will spend at least the next two decades in prison, District Attorney Ashley Hornsby Welch said.
Shawn Standingdeer, 35, of Sylva, pleaded guilty Thursday in Jackson County Superior Court to a total of six felony charges. The charges were consolidated to statutory rape of a child less than 15 years of age.
Chief Resident Superior Court Judge Bradley B. Letts sentenced Standingdeer to the state’s mandatory-minimum sentence on each count for a total of 240 months to 348 months in prison.
The teenage girl gave birth in 2021.
DNA provided authorities with irrefutable evidence that Standingdeer was the father of the teenager’s baby, leading to the charge.
Letts entered a no-contact order against Standingdeer, stipulating that he is forbidden to contact the teen.
From staff reports.