Former Vance County detention officer accused of sexually assaulting inmate
HENDERSON, N.C. (WTVD) -- A former Vance County detention officer is facing nine charges after a woman reported he sexually assaulted her while she was in custody, according to court documents and local officials.
An indictment accuses Capt. Shannon Holley of forcible rape. Court records state the alleged assaults occurred between Feb. 27 and March 6.
"This is obviously very disturbing," Vance County District Attorney Mike Waters said in a phone interview Monday.
Waters said the victim reported the alleged assaults, and he added that "the fact that someone is in custody is not something that necessarily is going to impact their credibility or truthfulness."
The State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) opened its case on March 9 at the request of Vance County Sheriff Curtis Brame and DA Waters. The investigation resulted in eight warrants for Holley.
"The same types of steps that are taken in every case were taken by the SBI to evaluate the credibility of statements to corroborate facts and that kind of thing and conduct a thorough investigation," Waters said.
According to reporting from our newsgathering partners at the News & Observer, Holley began working for the Vance County Sheriff's Office in August. He resigned on March 21.
Just months earlier, in a January meeting with county commissioners, Brame publicly praised Holley's work.
"Captain Holley, who's sitting here behind me, he's my specialist at the jail. I was glad he came aboard to assist me in time of need. I think he's doing a great job," Brame said.
In the same meeting, Holley described his role overseeing inmate care.
"I simply run operations in the jail, and I make sure the inmates are safe," he said.
The Vance County Jail has faced longstanding issues, outlined in a letter from the Department of Health and Human Services dated last year. The new allegations have renewed concerns about the safety of people held in the facility.
Holley was issued a $750,000 secured bond. His first court appearance is scheduled for Tuesday in Vance County.
