Wadesboro mayor pro tem claims he’s the victim in charges filed against him

ANSON COUNTY, N.C. — The mayor pro tem in Wadesboro was arrested earlier this month. But he says he’s the victim in this case.

Mayor pro tem Garrett Snuggs is charged with communicating threats during a phone call between him and a woman, Jerica Willoughby on May 2.

“I was never in personal contact with this person,” he told Channel 9’s Gina Esposito. “All of the interaction was via telephone.”

The warrant says that Snuggs said “I would slap you, but you are the police.”

Snuggs said he is not in a relationship with Willoughby and denies ever saying that. She is also not a police officer.

“The only thing I said was I don’t have to put up with this type of harassment and conversation on my telephone, and I’m going up here to go up here to the magistrate’s office and take harassment charges up on you,” he said. “That’s what I said. If I made a mistake, it was doing that which alerted her to my intentions.”

In a video on social media, Snuggs explained that he showed up at the courthouse to seek charges against Willoughby, but when the magistrate couldn’t verify her address, he left.

When he returned home, he found out charges had been filed against him. He spent two days in jail.

“This magistrate allowed someone to take a retaliatory warrant against me,” he said.

The court confirmed that Snuggs submitted a formal complaint against the magistrate, who he knows because she is married to another elected official.

He did file a harassing phone call charge against Willoughby.

“I contest that personal feelings regarding me made her act in the manner in the way,” Snuggs said.

Both Snuggs and Willoughby are scheduled to be in court on May 22.

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