Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office deputy arrested, charged with solicitation of prostitute

ASHEVILLE – Deputy Chad Walker of the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office was arrested June 22 and charged with solicitation of a prostitute by the Asheville Police Department and fired from the Sheriff’s Office effective immediately, Sheriff’s spokesperson Aaron Sarver said in a news release June 22.

Walker's arrest is in connection with a potential human trafficking ring in which three others have been arrested, announced spokesperson Samantha Booth in an APD news release June 23. Walker was booked into the Buncombe County Detention Facility on June 22 and released under a written promise issued by the magistrate.

According to a Citizen Times database of Buncombe County employee salaries, Walker, 39, was a deputy at the Sheriff’s Office for nearly 15 years. He was hired in August 2008 and promoted to patrol sergeant in June 2019. However, Walker was demoted from sergeant a year later, on July 9, 2021, according to Sarver. Walker ended his employment in the position of senior deputy, making an annual salary of just over $59,000.

According to Sarver, Walker solicited a prostitute the afternoon of June 22, which led to his arrest. The Sheriff's Office became aware of the situation shortly after Walker's arrest.

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Public records show the arrest happened on the 100 block of Tunnel Road.

This story will be updated.

Ryley Ober is the Public Safety Reporter for Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA Today Network. Please support local, daily journalism with a subscription to the Citizen Times.

This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Buncombe Sheriff’s Office deputy arrested, charged with solicitation