New court date for ex-cop charged with hiring prostitute; human trafficking investigation
ASHEVILLE - A sheriff's deputy arrested during a human trafficking investigation and charged with soliciting a prostitute has a new court date.
Chad Walker had an Aug. 10 appearance scheduled in Buncombe County Administrative Court, according to the public online calendar. It is not clear if Walker, 40, appeared for that session which used a less formal, drop-in format with no judge present. Walker is now scheduled to appear Oct. 5, again for Administrative Court.
He is facing a misdemeanor charge that has a maximum penalty of 45 days in jail for someone with no prior convictions. Walker did not respond to Aug. 10 messages. Court records show no lawyer for him.
Walker was fired by Sheriff Quentin Miller June 22 after being arrested that day by Asheville Police Department officers at a Tunnel Road hotel east of downtown. APD was at the hotel assisting Cherokee Indian Police Department officers in making an arrest when they observed what they said appeared to be human trafficking, including three different women at the hotel with multiple men coming and out of rooms.
Walker was arrested from the Buncombe County jail on a promise to appear in court. APD has declined to say whether Walker was suspected of more than solicitation. Walker, began with the Sheriff's Office in 2008, rising to the rank of sergeant before being demoted to patrol officer in 2021, according to personnel records obtained by the Citizen Times through a public records request. His pay was $28.11 an hour.
On Aug. 10, APD spokesperson Samantha Booth said the investigation remained ongoing.
Others investigation details:
Officers seized four different types of pistols, 9.97 grams of fentanyl, 13.42 grams of meth and 13.19 grams of crack cocaine.
Paul Anthony Valdez Jr., 35, was charged with possession of a stolen firearm, carrying a concealed gun, possession of a firearm by a felon, possession of a weapon of mass destruction and having an open container of alcohol in a vehicle. He was also charged with being a fugitive from another state. Valdez was being held under a secured bond of $32,500.
Milo Jamemall Henderson, 39, was charged with trafficking opium or heroin, possession of drug paraphernalia, plus three separate charges of possession of a controlled substance with the intent to manufacture, sell or deliver for schedule III controlled substance, cocaine and methamphetamine. He was held in the jail under a $75,000, but secured bond until being released July 28. It is not clear if he made bond.
Several juveniles were apprehended carrying firearms and were released to their parents and the Department of Juvenile Justice was contacted.
Valdez's attorney Justin Sigmon has said he did not know why APD included his client's name in arrests involved with the human trafficking investigation.
"I have heard nothing, nor seen anything indicating that he was involving in any human trafficking," Sigmon said in an Aug. 4 message to the Citizen Times.
Valdez's attorney Ted Besen declined to comment.
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Joel Burgess has lived in WNC for more than 20 years, covering politics, government and other news. He's written award-winning stories on topics ranging from gerrymandering to police use of force. Got a tip? Contact Burgess at jburgess@citizentimes.com, 828-713-1095 or on Twitter @AVLreporter. Please help support this type of journalism with a subscription to the Citizen Times.
This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Court date for cop charged with hiring prostitute; trafficking probe
