Murphy Man Arrested For Sexual Assaults On A Child

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— Sheriff Derrick Palmer announced the October 3rd, arrest of 41-year-old Barry Wade Allen of Murphy, North Carolina for sexual assaults involving a child.

In June of 2017, the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office received a report of suspected sexual assault committed by Allen. The Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the HAVEN Child Advocacy Center.

The case was presented to the Grand Jury which met in July 2017 who returned true bills of indictment for Statutory Sex Offense with a Child greater than 13 years of age and defendant 6 years or more older, and Indecent Liberties with a Child.

Allen fled from Cherokee County prior to the true bills being issued. The United States Marshal Fugitive Apprehension Unit assisted in locating and apprehending Allen in Louisiana during the last week of September 2017.

Allen waived extradition and was transported to the Cherokee County Detention Center by Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office personnel where he was served with orders of arrest on the above charges. The North Carolina Magistrate set a $500,000.00 secure bond as well as conditions to have no contact or be around the victim. Allen is currently confined in the Cherokee County Detention Center awaiting a December 11th, 2017 Cherokee County Superior Court date.

Because of the age of the victim(s) and the sensitive nature of the incident, no further information is expected to be released from this office.

Sheriff Palmer again thanks all the agencies and individuals that were a large part of getting this case to the court.

​Sheriff Palmer encourages anyone with information on this crime or any other to report it by calling the anonymous tip line at 828-837-1344 or emailing a tip to crime.tips@cherokeecounty-nc.gov or call 911 if you observe a crime in progress.