HENDERSON COUNTY, N.C. (WSPA) – A man was sentenced to prison for child sex crimes in Henderson County.
According to the District Attorney of North Carolina, Dakota James Cook, 32, from Mills River, pleaded guilty to three counts of statutory rape of a child, one count of statutory sex offense with a child, and three counts of incest.
Cook was sentenced based on evidence from March 11, 2022.
The Henderson County Sheriff’s Office said deputies received several cyber tips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children for possible sexual abuse material at Cook’s address.
While deputies were executing a search warrant, they found a 12-year-old at Cook’s house. She told deputies that she was sexually abused by Cook.
The girl also told deputies that Cook gave her alcohol and marijuana before the offenses occurred.
Cook was sentenced to a minimum of 20 years and a maximum of 29 years in prison. The judge also ordered Cook to register as a sex offender for life.
