RALEIGH -- Four people, including a former Jackson County deputy and a jail nurse, were arrested by the State Bureau of Investigation Tuesday in connection with alleged rapes and underage drinking during a Halloween party at a Sylva business in October, 2014.

Michelle Watson Dillard, 40, and James Wesley Henry, 39, both of Sylva, were each indicted Monday by a Jackson County grand jury on one count of obstruction of justice in relation to the alleged incidents. Dillard was a jail nurse and Henry was a K-9 officer for the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office at the time of this party held at Dillard’s husband’s business, Dillard Excavation.

Dillard and Henry surrendered themselves to SBI agents at the county jail where they were processed. They both appeared before Superior Court Judge Marvin Pope who set their bonds at $10,000 each, though their attorneys argued for unsecured bonds. No court dates have been set for them.

Austin Trent Davis, 19, and Cody Jacob Scott Jenkins, 24, were also indicted by the grand jury yesterday for one count each of felony statutory sex offenses. Their bonds will be set later today and their court date is April 15.

Sheriff Jimmy Ashe requested the assistance of the state Alcohol Law Enforcement Branch to investigate the initial reports of underage drinking received by his department and then later requested the SBI investigate after learning that employees from his department may be involved. The sheriff’s office cooperated fully in this investigation.

 

Contact: Teresa West
Phone: (919) 582-8511