News

Detectives add statutory rape charges against man previously arrested

By Lightning Reports, Published: April 7, 2022

Henderson County sheriff's investigators filed new sexual offense felony charges against a 31-year-old Hendersonville man first arrested two weeks ago on sexual abuse of a minor charges.

Dakota James Cook now also faces three counts of statutory rape, three counts of incest and one count of statutory sex offense by adult. After he received the new charges Cook was placed under a $500,000 bond. He remains jailed in the Henderson County Detention Facility.

Acting on a “cybertip” from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office Special Victim’s Unit charged Cook and another man with numerous counts of sexual abuse of a minor last month.

Detectives who investigated alleged online dissemination of material related to child sexual abuse were able to develop information which led to the issuance and service of a search warrant at the home of the suspect in Henderson County on March 23.

Robert James Birch, 38, was arrested and charged with 25 counts of third-degree sexual exploitation of a minor and jailed at the Henderson County Detention Center under a $65,000 bond. Cook was arrested and charged with 12 counts of third-degree sexual exploitation of a minor and jailed at the Henderson County Detention Center under a $30,000 bond. As the investigation is on-going additional charges are possible, the sheriff's office said.