Source

SPRING LAKE, N.C. –

A registered sex offender accused of sexually assaulting an 11-year-old girl in Spring Lake is expected in court Tuesday afternoon.

Nathan Cooley, 28, turned himself in at the Cumberland County Detention Center over the weekend on charges of first-degree kidnapping and indecent liberties with a child. Cooley claims he is innocent and that he can prove he was somewhere else at the time of the reported assault.

“Just because I have a past history of being a sex offender does not mean I need slander or defamation of character because some girl, God bless her soul got assaulted by some perpetrator that was not me,” Cooley said.

Investigators said a man matching Cooley’s description approached an 11-year-old girl on Tuesday in the 500 block of Odell Road while in his vehicle. The man told the girl that he was a police officer and was looking for his dog, police said.

Cooley and his lawyer claim that at the time of the assault, Cooley was taking a welding class at Fayetteville Technical Community College and later went to the school book store and a pizza shop.

“It does appear that several of the places that he’s been would have had some type of surveillance video that would corroborate that he was there,” said Phillip Hayes, Cooley’s attorney.

Cooley claims his criminal history as a registered sex offender makes him an easy target. Cooley was convicted in 2011 of indecent liberties with a child. He was also convicted in 2005 of statutory rape of a child over the age of six.

“They come to me because I’m a quick access in the neighborhood,” Cooley said.

Spring Lake Police said the girl provided “a very detailed description” of the suspect, and that description matched Cooley. The police chief said he is confident they have the right man.

“Based on the facts–based on the evidence–based on probable cause given to a magistrate we obtained warrants & he’s been charged with offenses we confident he committed,” said Chief Troy McDuffie, Spring Lake Police Department.

Cooley is being held on a $250,000 bond.

Share This

Let's Spread Truth

Share this post!