Cherryville Man Sentenced to 20+ Years For Statutory Rape

Larry Alvis Crowder

Forty-one year-old Larry Alvis Crowder pleaded guilty to four counts of statutory rape and three counts of third-degree sexual exploitation of a minor on Monday. Crowder, a native of Cherryville in Gaston County, picked up a 14 year-old girl from her home after she had a fight with her mother on January 28, 2011. That's when he drove her to a Cabarrus County hotel and engaged in sexual acts with her.

Crowder was arrested hours later in Rock Hill after the girl's mother called police and an amber alert was issued. Crowder had made sexual advances towards the girl from May to December of 2010.

Crowder pleaded guilty as part of a plea bargain in which charges from other counties involving the same incident were dropped. He was sentenced to 20 to 24 years in prison and will be monitored via satellite for the rest of his life.

Bessemer City Man Arrested for Statutory Rape

Casey Lee Cearley

Gaston County police arrested 22 year-old Casey Lee Cearley this week for allegations that he had sex with an underage girl in May.

Cearley, a native of Bessemer City, is charged with statutory rape involving someone under 16 years old. The girl was 14 at the time of the incident in question.

Cearley was jailed in Gaston County under a $30,000 bond.