Gaston Co. Board of Commissioners Will Ask Grant to Resign

GASTON CO., N.C. – Don Grant’s campaign slogan was “less government, more leadership.” His leadership is now in question, after he pleaded guilty Wednesday to a misdemeanor charge of assault on a female. Two other charges: another count of assault on a female and sexual battery, were dropped. Grant’s attorney tells WCCB the commissioner got a 60 day suspended prison sentence, and will serve 12 months of supervised probation. Grant himself isn’t talking – he’s ignored our requests for comment – but the woman he assaulted is.

“I was upset, I was upset because I felt like he got off easy,” says Amanda Sharpe. Sharpe says in June 2017, she contacted Grant Exterminating, concerned there may be bed bugs in her home. She says Don Grant showed up to inspect her house. He didn’t find any bugs, but said he wanted to inspect the bug bites on Sharpe’s son and herself.

She says, “I pulled my shirt out at the back, and he looked down the back of my shirt and while I was still holding it open, and then he proceeded to pull up the bottom of my shirt and my waist band, and put his hand inside of my pants, in the back.”

Sharpe says that Grant and his attorney have worked to intimidate and discredit her, and that Grant’s position in the community as a business owner and elected leader meant the court system, including District Attorney Locke Bell’s office, worked to protect the commissioner.

She’s speaking out now, with a warning. Sharpe says, “Even though he just got that little misdemeanor charge, people will know not to trust or allow him in their home. Because I feel he is a predator.”

Gaston County Commission Chair Chad Brown says the board is working on a resolution to ask Grant to apologize, and resign. Brown tells us, “May be in the best interest of our board, but also for Commissioner Grant, we’re gonna ask that.”

Gaston County residents we talked to agree that Grant should step down:

“I think, yeah, he should step down.”
“I understand he don’t wanna step down, he should be forced to step down.”
“There is no reason she should have been physically checked by him for anything,” and, “It is a person of power taking advantage.”

Don Grant’s exterminating company has a contract with Gaston County Schools. Grant’s attorney declined to comment on whether that partnership will continue. We also have a message into Gaston County Schools, to ask about that contract, but were told the person who can answer our question is out of the office until next week.