Asheville Man Guilty of Statutory Rape of a Child Under the Age of 15

Buncombe County -- July 30, 2024: In Buncombe County Superior Court, Christopher Murray Upshaw, 34,

of Asheville, entered a guilty plea to Statutory Rape of a Child Under the Age of 15, a class B1 felony. Subsequently, Alan Thornburg, a judge of the Superior Court, sentenced Upshaw to a term of active imprisonment ranging from 240 to 348 months.

A sexual assault involving a juvenile victim was reported to the Buncombe County Sheriff's Office on March 30, 2023, prompting the initiation of a sex offenses investigation.

The Buncombe County Department of Social Services (DSS) promptly identified Upshaw as the suspect and conducted a search warrant at his residence. Following the search, Upshaw was apprehended.

In 2011, Upshaw was convicted of felony child maltreatment in McDowell County.

Upshaw was also ordered by Judge Thornburg to register as a sexual offender for a period of 30 years and to refrain from contacting the victim for the duration of his life.

Upshaw will serve a minimum term of 20 years in prison

WNCTimes

Source: Press Release Todd Williams District Attorney's Office July 22, 2024

Image Credit: WNCTimes