Staff report
No charges will be filed against Cabarrus County Commissioner Coy Privette regarding two possibly forged checks that sparked a prostitution investigation.Privette was charged July 20 with six counts of aiding and abetting prostitution.
Arrest warrants said 74-year-old Privette rented a hotel room and paid for sexual acts with Tiffany Denise Summers at the former Ramada Inn and other hotels on Jake Alexander Boulevard in Salisbury.
Summers, 32, is charged with six counts of prostitution.
Rowan District Attorney Bill Kenerly and Cabarrus District Attorney Roxanne Vaneekhoven issued a statement Friday saying they found no evidence to support the elements required for criminal prosecution of either Privette or Summers for charges pertaining to the checks. The joint statement concluded that no charges will be filed against either party for further prosecution relating to the checks.
Privette’s bank, First Charter, filed the report with Kannapolis Police, not Privette.
Kannapolis Police Chief Woody Chavis said Monday First Charter contacted Privette after a suspicious person cashed his check for $1,000 at the Kannapolis branch.
Privette then filed an affidavit of forgery, which meant the bank absorbed the $1,000 loss.
A friend or acquaintance of Summers apparently cashed the check. The bank required a fingerprint for identification purposes.
The bank refused to cash another Privette check made out for $4,000.
Chavis said the way it worked out, the investigation into the check opened the door for the other information.
Chavis declined to say whether police believe Privette gave Summers the two checks, which were signed but blank, or whether Summers got them without Privette’s knowledge.
Privette has not attended Cabarrus Board of Commissioners meetings and has not made any public appearances.
Privette and his wife, Betty, attended services at North Kannapolis Baptist Church on July 29 where he was a pastor for many years.
Various members of the church said Privette asked for forgiveness and was warmly received by the congregation.