58-year-old Larry Eugene Epley of Dry Ponds Road in Granite Falls was arrested Wednesday (February 1) by Burke County Sheriff’s Officers. He’s charged with felony statutory sexual offense with a child by an adult.

An initial report was made to the Sheriff’s Office on January 11, 2023, regarding an alleged sexual assault of a child by an adult. The suspect is a registered sex offender. An investigation was conducted and after several interviews a warrant was issued for the arrest of Larry Eugene Epley in connection to this alleged crime.

Epley is on the North Carolina Sex Offender Registry as a result of a conviction in January, 1999 in Burke County for indecent liberties with a minor. The crime occurred in September, 1997 and the victim was nine-years-old at the time of the crime. Epley did not receive jail time, he was sentenced to 60 months probation. Epley registered as a sex offender with the Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office.

Epley was arrested without incident and placed in the Burke County Jail under a $50,000 secured bond. He is not listed as an inmate in Burke County today (February 3). A District Court appearance was scheduled today in Morganton.