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Catawba County sheriff candidate denies stalking allegations

By Dave Faherty, wsoctv.com
By Dave Faherty, wsoctv.com

CATAWBA COUNTY, N.C. — A candidate for Catawba County sheriff denies allegations that he stalked a woman last year.

Jason Reid is accused of placing a tracking device on the car of an ex-girlfriend.

Channel 9 reported Thursday that the SBI is investigating allegations of stalking involving Reid,  a former captain at the Catawba County Sheriff’s Office and son of current Sheriff Coy Reid.

"I never placed any type of tracking device on that woman's vehicle,” Jason Reid said on Facebook. “Unfortunately, I've made some very powerful enemies in my career."

Jason Reid referred to a bust involving the wife of a local council member in Maiden and a high-profile drug investigation after a large amount of marijuana was discovered in the home of a Hickory Police dispatcher.

A source told Channel 9 the tracking device allegedly placed on the woman's car belonged to the Catawba County Sheriff’s Narcotics Division, which Jason Reid at one time supervised.

Sheriff Coy Reid told Channel 9 that as many as 12 to 13 people had access to the tracker.

Sources told Channel 9 that three SBI investigators were at the Catawba County Sheriff’s Office Thursday morning.

Officials with the SBI said the agency received a request from Lincoln County District Attorney Mike Miller to investigate an allegation of stalking involving Jason Reid.

Coy Reid questioned the timing of the search warrant after the SBI learned of the case last August.

"They showed up on the first day of voting and that's not fair,” he said. “They're misusing their power. Somebody down in Raleigh needs to look into it further."

Sources said the allegations involved him placing the tracking device on a woman's car he at one time dated.

"This is the biggest misuse of power in my 39 years of being in law enforcement,” Coy Reid said.

At the early voting polls on Friday, voters said they are aware of the investigation, but are not sure it impacts their decision.

"I think it did cross my mind when I cast my vote because I thought, ‘Why now?’” voter Gloria Hubbard said.

"I thought the timing was suspicious and that's typical in a campaign and I'm proud to vote for Reid,” voter Michael Roper said.

Coy Reid said a gag order prevents him from discussing details of the search warrant.

Jason Reid oversaw large drug seizures while working at the Sheriff’s Office, but Coy Reid said the SBI never alerted him to any problems until Thursday.

"Show me the proof. I ain't seen anything yet, and eight months, if the SBI cannot solve a misdemeanor case in eight months, they need to come to the local Sheriff’s Office,” Coy Reid said. “We can solve them in eight months."

At the early voting in Newton on Thursday, voters had mixed reactions to the news of the search warrant and whether it would impact their decision at the polls.

"Ugly and its accusations. No proof at this point, so what do you go by?" voter Alan McRae said.

"Somebody has found something. They have been told something and they are checking into this,” voter Marie Shrontz said.

Jason Reid also questioned the timing of the search warrant when he spoke with Channel 9. He later posted a video on Facebook about the allegations.

Coy Reid said a judge ordered the search warrant to be sealed until after the election.

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