RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — A North Carolina appeals court on Tuesday overturned a former county sheriff’s fraud and obstruction convictions, declaring allegations related to falsifying his firearms training requirements didn’t meet the necessary elements for those crimes.
A three-judge panel of the Court of Appeals vacated the convictions against Brindell Wilkins on six counts of obstruction of justice and also reversed a trial judge’s decision refusing to dismiss six counts of obtaining property by false pretenses, for which a jury also found him guilty in December 2022. The ruling comes seven months after a subordinate to Wilkins had his obstruction convictions related to the training overturned.
Wilkins, the Granville County sheriff for 10 years until 2019, was sentenced from six to 17 months behind bars. Last year, Wilkins pleaded guilty to other charges unrelated to the allegations and received another prison sentence. State correction records show Wilkins was projected to be released from a state prison on Dec. 23.
The 2022 convictions stemmed from accusations that Wilkins falsified records to make it appear he completed the annual in-service firearm training required of most certified law enforcement officers and met qualifications to carry a firearm. A sheriff isn’t required to maintain certification or complete the training requirements, Tuesday’s opinion said.
