AVERY COUNTY, N.C. — Two Avery County deputies are accused of encouraging a student to shock herself with a Taser. Now, they are both out of a job and facing charges.
Family members told Channel 9 that the 17-year-old wanted to go into law enforcement and was involved in the department’s explorer program. They said she was doing a ride along at the time of the incident. They also said there is cellphone video of their daughter being shocked with a Taser.
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Reporter Dave Faherty got court documents Wednesday and learned one of the deputies was a school resource officer.
Luis Sanchez and Joshua Marshall are both charged with contributing to the abuse of a juvenile and willful failure to discharge their duties.
“The public needs to know that we take this stuff seriously, and it won’t be tolerated,” Avery County Sheriff Danny Phillips said.
Phillips, who became sheriff last Friday, said the deputies are no longer working for the sheriff’s office.
Faherty learned that it was the 17-year-old who went to authorities about the incident last year. Count documents said the deputies “encouraged a juvenile to tase herself.”
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Her family said her goal was to become a U.S. Marshal but after the incident, she has lost her trust in law enforcement..
“Disappointed, hurt. We support law enforcement. We support our daughter being in law enforcement. And we entrusted those guys with her life. Just really betrayed,” said the teen’s father, who didn’t want to be identified.
Bond was set at $5,000 in the case for both men. The former deputies were also ordered not to have contact with that teenager.
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