District Attorney - Eleventh Prosecutorial District

07/06/2026

On Monday, June 29, 2026, during a session of Vance Criminal Superior Trial Court, District Attorney Mike Waters introduced Cameron M. Smith to the Court, and Superior Court Judge Shamieka L. Rhinehart swore him in as the newest Assistant District Attorney in the Eleventh Prosecutorial District. Cameron will join the staff in our Person County office. Welcome Cameron!

06/24/2026

Our summer interns and members of our Franklin County staff enjoyed their tour of the Franklin County Jail today! We appreciate Lt. Billy Ayscue and Capt. Steve Massey of the Franklin County Sheriff's Office taking the time to provide them with the tour.

06/03/2026

04/23/2026

As a guest speaker in Oxford at JF Webb High School's new, pilot "Adulting 101" class, Assistant District Attorney Adam Brooker discussed jury duty, and helped coach students during a mock trial about student cell phone searches, and a cheating ring in a fictional high school. The students played various roles during the mock trial, such as defendants, jurors, prosecutors and defense attorneys.

04/22/2026

Happy Administrative Professionals' Day! We appreciate our Administrative Professionals, and they are the glue that holds our office together!

04/13/2026

SBI Investigation Leads to Indictment of a former Vance County Detention Center Captain

(Henderson, NC) – Captain Shannon Charles Holley, a former detention officer with the Vance County Detention Center, has been indicted today by a Vance County Grand Jury following an investigation by the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI).

Mr. Holley has been charged with:
 1 count of Second-Degree Forcible R**e
 3 counts of Second-Degree Forcible Sexual Offense
 4 counts of Sexual Act by a Custodian
 1 count of Assault on a Female.

The SBI initiated its investigation on March 9, 2026, at the request of Vance County Sheriff Curtis Brame and District Attorney for the Eleventh Prosecutorial District, Mike Waters. Over the past month, agents from the SBI’s Capital District conducted a comprehensive investigation into the allegations. As a result, eight warrants for Mr. Holley have been issued through today’s grand jury indictments.

“First and foremost, I appreciate the courage displayed by the victim in reporting the incidents,” said District Attorney Mike Waters. “I am also appreciative of the collaboration between Assistant District Attorney Charity Wilborn and the SBI for the swift and thorough attention given to this matter.”

The investigation remains active and ongoing, and additional charges may be filed as new information becomes available. The Defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

04/02/2026

A Superior Court Trial Session was held in Franklin County during the week of March 30, 2026. Superior Court Judge Cindy K. Sturges of Franklin County presided over the session. The Office of District Attorney Michael Waters was represented by Assistant District Attorneys Ashley Holton, Elizabeth Fitzgerald, and Brandon Minella.

Clifton Dean Pitts III pled guilty to one count of Driving While Impaired and was sentenced as an Aggravated Level 1, for which he received an active sentence of thirty months in the North Carolina Department of Adult Correction. This case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Ashley Holton and investigated by the North Carolina State Highway Patrol.

Kelly Anne Pellitier was tried by a jury and convicted on one count of Driving While Impaired, for which she received an active sentence of twenty-four months in the North Carolina Department of Adult Correction. The jury trial was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Elizabeth Fitzgerald and Brandon Minella. This case was investigated by the Franklinton Police Department.

02/19/2026

North Carolina Central University School of Law held its annual Career Fair on Thursday, February 12, 2026. Our office was represented by Assistant District Attorneys Charity Wilborn and TJ Marsh, who are both graduates of NCCU's School of Law. Both Charity and TJ were excited to share information about our district with law students considering a career in the District Attorney's Office.

02/13/2026

Elected District Attorney Mike Waters received the Dogwood Award today from North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson. The Attorney General's Dogwood Award, created in 2017 by then North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein, is an award given to honor North Carolinians who are dedicated to keeping people safe, healthy, and happy in their communities.

02/04/2026

On January 20, 2026, Katherine M. Barkley was sworn in as an Assistant District Attorney in the District 11 DA's Office. She will join our Vance County office team. Ms. Barkley is a 2017 graduate of Wake Forest University School of Law and was most recently the Direct Services Attorney with the Center for Family Violence Prevention in Greenville, NC.