4 Sex Offenders Charged In Alexander County

ALEXANDER COUNTY, N.C. — Four already convicted sex offenders in Alexander County have been charged with additional crimes.

Officials say that after conducting random checks on sex offenders in the area, the following people were charged and sentenced:

– Carolyn Harkey, 51, was charged with felony obstruction of justice for informing officers incorrectly about an alleged sex offender. Harkey was found guilty and sentenced to 12 months probation.

– Brian Patrick Mitchell, 42, was charged with two counts of failure to notify change of address as a sex offender. He was sentenced to two consecutive terms of 17-30 months in the N.C. Department of Corrections.

– Julie Smith Swayngim, 45, plead no contest to failure to notify change of address as a sex offender. She was sentenced to 16-29 months in the N.C. Department of Corrections.

– Jane Ann Banks, 36, was convicted of felony access of a banned network website by a sex offender and was sentenced to 60 months probation.

“Quarterly, we try to go out and check sex offenders unannounced,” said Chief Detective Donna Clanton. “Every time we do, we find violations.”

Currently, there is an active list of 110-120 sex offenders in the area. Alexander County Sheriff Chris Bowman said, “That alone takes up one full-time person, that we don’t have, to keep tabs on location of sex offenders, bring charges, and appear in court for trials.”