John Wesley Crowder Jr, age 51, was found guilty by a Yancey County jury of second degree forcible sex offense and two counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
In June of 2021, Crowder had two minors at his home on Prices Creek Road and provided them with alcohol. After the minors became intoxicated, Crowder performed sexual acts on one of the minors. The incident came to the attention of authorities several months later, when a video surfaced that depicted Crowder describing the events that took place. Yancey County Sheriff’s Office investigated the matter and brought charges, and the minors were provided services by the Toe River Child Advocacy Center.
After the jury returned its verdict, Senior Resident Superior Court Judge Gary Gavenus sentenced Mr. Crowder to prison for a minimum of 6 years 11 months (83 months) and a maximum of 13 years 4 months (160 months) plus an additional 90 days. Mr. Crowder was also ordered to register as a sex offender.
“My office remains committed to holding those who would take advantage of children accountable for their actions,” District Attorney Seth Banks said in a statement. “I would like to thank Assistant District Attorney Nick Benjamin and the Yancey County Sheriff’s Office for their efforts in bringing the truth to light and in putting Mr. Crowder behind bars.”
