A former Sampson County sheriff’s deputy is facing serious felony charges stemming from an alleged sexual encounter involving a minor, dating back to April 2011.
Richard Matthew West, 30, of Clinton, was arrested by agents with the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation Tuesday and charged with statutory rape; second degree rape; taking indecent liberties with a minor; and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. He was released under a $250,000 unsecured bond.
According to reports from the Sampson County Sheriff’s Office, deputies began investigating a sexual assault that was reported on Saturday, April 23, 2011. Once investigators discovered that the suspect in the alleged assault was an off-duty Sampson County deputy sheriff, investigators immediately contacted the SBI to take over the case to avoid any potential conflict of interest. West was immediately placed on administrative leave until a preliminary investigation could be concluded.
Based on information developed through the preliminary investigation, West, who was hired as a deputy in September 2009, was terminated from the Sheriff’s Office two days after the report was filed.
Prior to the sexual assault allegation, West did not have any disciplinary history with the department, according to officials at the Sheriff’s Office.
Noelle Talley, public information officer with the N.C. Department of Justice, said details on the incident were not available due to the sensitive nature of the investigation, however, she did say West will make his first appearance in court Friday morning.
Sampson County Sheriff Jimmy Thornton declined to make a statement about Tuesday’s arrest.
To reach Doug Clark call 910-592-8137 ext. 123 or email to sisports@heartlandpublications.com.
Did you just say that lawyers don't go to school to become better liars?
"I've heard this argument before, comparing apples and oranges. As a general rule teachers, doctors, l
LAWYERS, painters, etc. don't claim the moral high ground and go around armed to the terror of the public as part of their job description. Nor do they go to school to learn how to be BETTER LIARS."
Yeah, you did. Due to that statement, nothing you say holds water because you are CLEARLY ignorant, delusional, and clueless.
You did get one thing right. Lawyers don't claim moral high ground. Neither do teachers having relations with students, or painters who love alcohol more than Peter loved the Lord. On top of all those guys though, the ones I hate the most are the know it all citizens who stand on the outside, pointing their fingers in at the majority of those who are at least TRYING to make a difference. You are an idiot. Your foot-in-mouth statements prove it. Find an honest lawyer, and I'll apologize..........mmmmmmhm, actually I probably won't, you'll still be an idiot.
One of the most important lessons that we were taught was to bend the truth to our advantage in order to get our client off or at least convicted with as light a punishment as possible.
I will say that in the story it CLEARLY says as soon as something fishy was smelled, he was fired and the investigation was turned over to the SBI. That was a correct decision, and it is the normal decision that the brass makes in terrible situations like that.
I have to say I agree with some of your post "stupid is as stupid does" works for me. This guy was absolutely an idiot!!
However, I can't get behind the "Some people are meant to be the police, some are meant to call the police, and others are meant to be controlled by the police" portion of the comment.
The part about “some are meant to call the police” concerns me greatly. It sounds like you consider the general population to be defenseless victims.
The part that really scares me though is this, “others are meant to be controlled by the police”. Simply put that sounds suspiciously like the thought process of an individual who thinks we are in a paramilitary police state to me.
I believe your job description is supposed to be “To PROTECT and to SERVE” not “To FRIGHTEN and CONTROL”
Just a thought ya know.
These people are psychopaths.