McDowell County Sheriff's Office, North Carolina

06/23/2026

MARION MAN CHARGED IN DIRT BIKE THEFT

Lieutenant Jesse Hicks with the McDowell County Sheriff’s Office charged 27-year-old Joshua Marc Cline of Marion with felony Larceny of a Dirt Bike, felony Obtaining Property Under False Pretense and felony Possession of Stolen Goods. He received a $25,000 secured bond.

On May 5, Lt. Jason Cook received a report of a stolen dirt bike and trail cameras from a property in the West Marion area.

An investigation by Lt. Hicks, along with camera footage provided by the victim, confirmed Cline was responsible for the thefts. He was arrested on June 18.

The dirtbike was recovered on May 6 after it had been sold to another individual.

“Great job by our detectives and another incident where cameras helped identify a suspect.” – Sheriff Ricky T. Buchanan

06/22/2026

PLEASE TAKE A MINUTE TO WATCH (AND SHARE) THIS IMPORTANT VIDEO ABOUT A SCAM CIRCULATING IN OUR AREA TODAY THAT HAS COST A FEW OF OUR COMMMUNITY MEMBERS THEIR HARD-EARNED MONEY!

06/22/2026

MCSO Issues Warning After Report of Law Enforcement Impersonation

The McDowell County Sheriff’s Office is warning the public after receiving a report of an individual impersonating a law enforcement officer near the McDowell County/Avery County line on U.S. 221 North near Linville Mountain.

The incident occurred on Tuesday when a victim reported being stopped by a person driving an unmarked dark-colored SUV. According to the report, a blue light was displayed in the dash of the vehicle and was activated when the suspect initiated the traffic stop.

The victim reported that the suspect was not displaying a badge and the vehicle did not have proper law enforcement markings or tags. The suspect was reportedly armed with a firearm, taser and handcuffs and unlawfully searched both the driver and the vehicle.

The McDowell County Sheriff’s Office reminds the public that if you are being pulled over by an unmarked vehicle and have concerns about whether the stop is legitimate, you should turn on your hazard lights, slow down, and proceed to a safe, well-lit and populated area.

If you are unsure or suspicious of the vehicle attempting to stop you, call 911 immediately, provide your location and the vehicle description, and ask telecommunicators to confirm whether a legitimate law enforcement officer is attempting to stop you.

Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to contact Detective Kyle Gibson with the McDowell County Sheriff’s Office at 828-652-2235, ext. 1222.

06/22/2026

Congratulations to Alvaro Jerez on Graduating BLET!

The McDowell County Sheriff’s Office congratulates Alvaro Jerez on recently completing the Basic Law Enforcement Training Certification Course through Western Piedmont Community College.

A graduation ceremony was held Thursday to recognize the graduates and celebrate their accomplishment.

“Completing BLET is no small accomplishment,” said Chief Deputy Nathan Mace. “We are proud to welcome Alvaro to the McDowell County Sheriff’s Office team, and we look forward to seeing him serve the citizens of McDowell County.”
Pictured from left in the photo on the left are MCSO Chief Deputy Nathan Mace, Alvaro Jerez and Criminal Investigations Captain Paul Alkire. Pictured from left in the photo on the right is retired Caldwell County Sheriff Alan Jones, Chief Deputy Mace and Burke County Sheriff Banks Hinceman.

Congratulations, Alvaro!

06/21/2026

Happy Father’s Day from the McDowell County Sheriff’s Office. Today, we honor the fathers, grandfathers, stepfathers, and father figures who lead with love and strength. We hope you have a safe and blessed day!

06/19/2026

WYFF NEWS 4 HIGHLIGHTS MCSO FOR SAFETY & SUPPORT EFFORTS

We appreciate WYFF News 4 for reaching out to the Sheriff’s Office this week to highlight community safety and support efforts led by our office. We are proud of our staff for continuing to educate, serve, and protect McDowell County.

Watch the stories here:
https://www.wyff4.com/article/check-back-seat-hot-car-deaths-sc/71627380
https://www.wyff4.com/article/mcdowell-county-disability-decal-progra/71628366

06/19/2026

MCSO Detective Matt Smith Among 16 Officers to Complete General Instructor Training

McDowell Tech's Law Enforcement Training Center would like to recognize the 16 officers who successfully completed General Instructor Training!

This 90-hour training course is designed to provide criminal justice officers with the basic knowledge and skills needed to instruct other criminal justice personnel, including but not limited to BLET, mandated in-service training. Each officer developed a 70-minute ISD lesson plan, created a test with an answer key, built a PowerPoint presentation, and presented their lesson plan to a certified General Instructor Training Instructor.

We would like to congratulate all 16 officers on a job well done and sincerely thank them for choosing McDowell Tech!

06/19/2026

NEBO WOMAN CHARGED AFTER CHILD IN CARE TESTS POSITIVE FOR DRUGS

Detective Billie Brown with the McDowell County Sheriff’s Office charged 33-year-old Brittany Danielle Wyatt of Nebo with felony exposing a child to a controlled substance. Wyatt received a $75,000 secured bond.

On June 9, Det. Brown spoke with Wyatt at the Sheriff’s Office after receiving a referral from McDowell County DSS.

During the interview, Wyatt stated she had used methamphetamine in the presence of a child in her home. Further investigation and a positive drug analysis test determined the juvenile had been exposed to a controlled substance, and charges were filed.

06/18/2026

Sheriff Ricky T. Buchanan recently had the opportunity to join Iredell County Sheriff Darren Campbell and Chief Deputy Bill Hamby on the Iredell County Sheriff’s Office talk show, “The Good, the Bad and the Guilty.”

Sheriff Buchanan stated his appreciation for the invitation to speak on matters including the important work being done across the state through the North Carolina Sheriffs’ Association, highlighting the McDowell County Sheriff’s Office and his career in law enforcement as his retirement date draws near.

“I always enjoy the opportunity to talk about the Office of Sheriff, the work being done across our counties, and the importance of the North Carolina Sheriffs’ Association in supporting sheriffs throughout our state. I am grateful for Sheriff Campbell, Chief Deputy Hamby and the Iredell County Sheriff’s Office for the invitation and for their continued partnership and leadership in law enforcement.”

Watch the full episode here:
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HpIVdCZzo60
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wsicnews/videos/1552066926503448