Catawba County Man Gets Prison Time

A Catawba County resident received prison time after entering a plea to sex offense charges. 31-year-old Michael Brandon Shinn of Sherrills Ford was sentenced to 50 to 120 months or four years, two months to ten years in prison. He entered an Alford plea Tuesday (July 23) for three counts of 2nd-degree forcible sex offense, which is a combination of Mooresville and Lincoln County charges. An Alford plea registers a formal admission of guilt towards charges in criminal court while the defendant simultaneously expresses their innocence toward those same charges.

On June 19, 2022, Mooresville Police Officers responded to a sexual assault call at an address on River Highway in Mooresville. The victim stated that she met the suspect online and agreed to meet in Mooresville on June 16. After meeting the suspect, the victim got into the suspect’s vehicle and was taken to a remote parking lot on River Highway where police say she was forcibly sexually assaulted by the suspect.

After the assault, the suspect left the victim in the parking lot without her vehicle or phone. Detectives were able to identify the suspect using information from the victim about him and his vehicle.

During the course of the investigation, Detectives learned that the suspect, who was targeting women online, may be involved in similar incidents in other jurisdictions. As a result of the investigation and collaboration with surrounding agencies, Mooresville Police and the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office charged Shinn with multiple sex offense counts along with a count of kidnapping.

In addition to the sentence of 50-120 months, Shinn will have to register as a sex offender for 30 years, and he received permanent no-contact orders with the three victims. Once he is released, Shinn will be on probation for ten years.​

Story: Rob Eastwood-WHKY