The following press release has been issued by Cherokee County Sheriff's Office.  All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. 

Murphy, NC— Cherokee County Sheriff Derrick Palmer announced the August 6th, 2015 arrest of 37-year-old Deodrick Santrez Boykin on violations of North Carolina Controlled Substance Laws.

Investigators with the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office have been conducting an ongoing investigation in which Boykin has been a subject. During the investigation, Boykin was identified as suspect in a conspiracy to sell heroin in Cherokee County.

On August 6th, 2015, investigators went to the Mary King Mountain Subdivision in Cherokee County where Boykin was residing to serve arrest warrants. While making the arrest of Boykin, illegally possessed controlled substances were observed by the investigators.  Deputies of the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office secured Boykin’s residence while investigators obtained a search warrant for the reminder of the residence. While conducting the search, additional items of controlled substances, along with other items, were seized.

Boykin was taken before the North Carolina Magistrate who set a $50,000 secure bond. Boykin is currently detained in the Cherokee County Detention Center pending an August 19th Cherokee County Court date.

Sheriff Palmer stated, “We continue to connect the dots on these cases and are bringing drug dealers to justice. This was some good work in getting a supplier of a very dangerous drug off the street.”

To report crime in Cherokee County, call the anonymous tip line at 828-837-1344 or email a tip at crime.tips@cherokeecounty-nc.gov or call 911 if you observe a crime in progress.

The following press release has been issued by Cherokee County Sheriff's Office.  All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Murphy, NC— Cherokee County Sheriff Derrick Palmer announced the August 4, 2015 arrest of 45 year old Charmell Nita Mealer of Farner, Tennessee for Felony Stalking.

On July 17th, 2015 the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office received a complaint from a resident in the Hiwassee Dam Community of Cherokee County that Mealer had entered the property and had damaged items while remaining against a current court order. 

Upon conducting an investigation, the assigned detective found that there had been previous complaints involving Mealer and that, in fact, a current No Contact Order was in place prohibiting Mealer from being on the property. Additionally, the detective confirmed the damage that Mealer had committed while on the property which was disabling security cameras at the victim’s residence.  

Mealer was arrested and taken before the Magistrate who set a $2,000 secure bond. Mealer is currently detained in the Cherokee County Detention Center pending a August 19th, 2015 Cherokee County District Court date.

Sheriff Palmer stated, “This was some good old fashioned investigative work and I commend the investigator in pursuing the leads and bringing this case to justice so quickly. We know this type of case has the propensity to be very volatile.”

To report crime in Cherokee County, call the anonymous tip line at 828-837-1344 or email a tip at crime.tips@cherokeecounty-nc.gov or call 911 if you observe a crime in progress.

The following press release has been issued by Cherokee County Sheriff's Office.  All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Murphy, NC— Cherokee County Sheriff Derrick Palmer announced the August 3, 2015 arrest of a 35 year Murphy, North Carolina man, Kevin Dwayne Cornwell, and 29 year old Laurann Danielle Hancock of Blue Ridge, Georgia following an investigation into suspicious persons living at a residence in the Culberson Community of Cherokee County, North Carolina.

The Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office was notified by the owner of a rental property in Culberson that there were persons who were living there unlawfully. Upon the responding deputy’s arrival, Cornwell, Hancock and two other individuals fled a short distance into a wooded area adjacent to the residence in question. The responding deputy, along with investigators, were able to locate the fleeing individuals. 

Upon running a wants and warrants check on the four, information was made known that Cornwell had an outstanding warrant for Breaking and Entering and Larceny. Additionally information was made known that Hancock had a warrant for Failure to Appear on Identity Theft charges in Fannin County, Georgia.  

Hancock was taken before the Magistrate who set a $5,000 secure bond which she later posted and was released from the Cherokee County Detention Center pending a August 19th, 2015 Cherokee County District Court date.

Cornwell was brought to the Cherokee County Detention Center where he is currently being detained under a $10,000 secure bond and also has a August 19th, 2015 Cherokee County District Court date.

Sheriff Palmer stated, “Again good team work by personnel of my Office. This incident was reported and a short time later two wanted individuals were captured. It appears this is not these individuals first encounter with law enforcement, especially Mr. Cornwell.”

To report crime in Cherokee County, can call the anonymous tip line at 828-837-1344 or email a tip at crime.tips@cherokeecounty-nc.gov or call 911 if you observe a crime in progress.

The following press release has been issued by Cherokee County Sheriff's Office.  All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. 

Murphy, NC— Cherokee County Sheriff Derrick Palmer announced the July 31st, 2015 arrest of Bruce Frederick Caldwell, a 40 year old Murphy, North Carolina man for violations of the North Carolina Sex Offender Registry.

Registered sex offender Bruce Caldwell came to the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office on June 25, 2015 and provided information that he was changing his address to underneath a bridge in Andrews, North Carolina as he was homeless and had no other place to go.

During the early part of July 2015, Caldwell apparently moved and did not provide an address to the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office as required. Caldwell had been arrested twice previously for failing to report a change of address. A warrant was issued for the arrest of Caldwell.

Caldwell was arrested and booked through the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office where he was given a $10,000.00 secure bond. Caldwell was able to post the bond and is expected to be in Cherokee County District Court on August 19, 2015

Court records indicate that Caldwell was convicted in Florida in 1994 to two separate child sexual assaults; Attempted Lewd Sexual Battery and Lewd Lascivious or Indecent Assault or Act upon a Child. Both convictions are reportable convictions and as such require Caldwell to register for a lifetime.

Sheriff Palmer stated, “The Sex Offender Registry helps ensure the safety of our community. Since January of this year Mr. Caldwell has been arrested three times for what appears to be a total disregard to those laws. I want to assure Mr. Caldwell and the community we will remain vigilant in our statutory duties to continue to keep our community a great place to live.” 

To report crime in Cherokee County, call the anonymous tip line at 828-837-1344 or email a tip at crime.tips@cherokeecounty-nc.gov or call 911 if you observe a crime in progress.

The following press release has been issued by Cherokee County Sheriff's Office.  All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. 

Murphy, NC— Cherokee County Sheriff Derrick Palmer announced the July 31st, 2015 arrest of 38 year old Edwin Walter King Jr. and 36 year old Fame Lora Conley both of Murphy, North Carolina on charges stemming from a July 21st, 2015 breaking and entering.

On or about July 21st 2015, the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a breaking and entering in the Ranger Community of Cherokee County. The victim reported several items of household goods had been removed from the residence.

Investigators uncovered information that Conley was using an online yard sale page on the social media site Facebook.com to sell items that were identical to what had been stolen. The investigators conducted a search at the residence of Conley and King and recovered many of the items that had been reported in the July 21st, 2015 incident.  

Both Conley and King were arrested and transported to the Cherokee County Detention Center where they were placed on a $5,000.00 secure bond. During District Court on August 03, 2015 Conley’s bond was unsecured and King’s bond was reduced to $3,000.00 secure. Both are expected to be in Cherokee County District Court on August 19th, 2015.

Sheriff Palmer stated, “This was some good work by a couple of my investigators. They followed the leads, conducted a search and recovered items for the victim.” 

To report crime in Cherokee County, can call the anonymous tip line at 828-837-1344 or email a tip at crime.tips@cherokeecounty-nc.gov or call 911 if you observe a crime in progress.

The following press release has been issued by Towns County Sheriff's Office.  All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

HIAWASSEE, GA - On Saturday, July 25, 2015, Towns County Sheriff's Office responded to a residence on Konaheta Drive in Hiawassee.  Several neighbors had called 911 reporting a domestic violence situation in progress.  Sheriff Clinton heard the radio traffic and responded with the deputies, as did a City of Hiawassee Police Officer.

Upon arriving at Konaheta Drive, deputies made contact with a female victim and two of her children, who had each escaped the residence.  They appeared to be badly beaten, needing immediate medical care.  A deputy transported them to an ambulance staged nearby and they were then transported to Chatuge Regional Hospital in Hiawassee.
 
Two small children were still in the house with the male aggressor.  As deputies approached, the male subject was smashing the window out of a vehicle with a large machete.  After a brief standoff, the male released the two small children and ultimately charged at the deputies.  A deputy used a Tazer to stop the man.  

The subject was transported by ambulance due to a potential drug overdose.  The two smaller children who had been in the residence with him were also transported by ambulance to be evaluated, but were not seriously injured. 

The male subject, Damian Moody, of Hiawassee, GA, was charged with: Aggravated Battery,  two counts of Aggravated Assault, two counts of felony Cruelty to Children, one count of misdemeanor Cruelty to Children, and three counts of Battery Family Violence.