Submitted by Office of District Attorney Ashley Hornsby Welch
43rd Prosecutorial District
Agents with the State Bureau of Investigation and police officers with the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians arrested Swain County Sheriff Curtis Cochran, 72, on Friday, June 27.
District Attorney Ashley Hornsby Welch said that Cochran has been charged with four state crimes. These are: felonious restraint; assault on a female; sexual battery; and solicitation to commit prostitution.
These alleged acts, if proved, constitute corruption while in office in violation of N.C. General Statute 128-6(3).
In addition, Cochran has been charged with violations of the Cherokee Code; specifically, two counts of oppression in office and one count of abusive sexual contact.
In a petition filed today in state Superior Court, District Attorney Welch requested that a Superior Court judge immediately suspend Cochran from his position as sheriff.
She also requested that the judge order a hearing to both permanently remove Cochran as sheriff and to permanently disqualify him from the office of Sheriff of Swain County.
Senior Resident Superior Court Judge Tessa Sellers suspended Cochran and set a hearing in Graham County for July 7 to review the suspension. She set a final determination in Swain County for July 21 on the petition to remove Cochran.
