A former Mooresville Police Officer charged in Catawba and Iredell Counties has been sentenced in a sexual exploitation case. The defendant, 38-year-old Matthew Beebe of Sherrills Ford, did not receive prison time after entering a guilty plea last week. This has resulted in a critical response from Mooresville’s Police Chief.
On July 28, 2023, information was provided to MPD Command Staff that an officer allegedly engaged in sexual misconduct with a minor. MPD immediately began investigating the allegations and suspended the officer pending the outcome of the investigation. Based on information obtained during the investigation, MPD obtained search and arrest warrants on August 1, 2023.
With assistance from the Catawba County Sheriff’s Office, on August 2, 2023, Officer Matthew Beebe was arrested and charged with four counts of felony third-degree sexual exploitation of a Minor. Beebe was placed in the Iredell County Detention Center under a $60,000 secured bond.
The Iredell County District Attorney felt that there could be a conflict with her office prosecuting Beebe because of the number of times he has testified in court for the prosecution. As a result, a special prosecutor was named for the case.
Based on evidence seized at Beebe’s home in Catawba County, additional charges were filed against Beebe. The case became a joint investigation with Catawba County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) focused on making a prosecutable case against Beebe.
In the months that followed, investigators from both agencies worked collectively and independently with the special prosecutor on the evidence for trial. A trial date was scheduled the case continued to move forward despite delays.
In August 2024, the Mooresville Police Department was contacted by the Special Prosecutor Donna Rainwater and informed that Beebe would be taking a plea on September 24. This plea would include state prison time.
However, on September 23, less than 24 hours before the sentencing of Beebe, a Mooresville Police investigator was contacted by Special Prosecutor Rainwater via email. In the email, Rainwater noted that “[Beebe] is pleading to two counts of indecent liberties from Iredell and one count from Catawba. He will receive consecutive probationary sentences, 30-year registry, and surrender his LEO certificate.”
In a news release, the following statement was released by Mooresville Police Department Chief Campurciani. “This is the most outrageous ‘prosecution’ I have witnessed in my almost four decades in this profession. This man committed despicable acts on a minor. At the same time, this predator continued to lead his double life and put on his public face to serve as a police officer with the Town of Mooresville.
The men and women that make up the Mooresville Police Department work so hard every day to serve this community. They are very much aware that there is a distrust of the police. That is why we treat everyone fairly with dignity and respect. We hold our officers accountable if they do not treat everyone with those same values. The ones that don’t buy into this philosophy, learn very early on that there is no safe place for them to land at the MPD. A decision like this widens the gap of distrust for the police and the whole criminal justice system.
Putting a predator like Beebe back on the streets, is not only dangerous but irresponsible. The entire Mooresville Police Department, the Town of Mooresville Board of Commissioners, the Town Manager, and the dozens and dozens of people I have heard from everyday over the course of the last week about this sentencing want and deserve answers to this debacle.”
More on Catawba County Man & Former Police Officer Pleads Guilty In Sexual Exploitation Case, Receives Probation, Mooresville Chief Critical Of Result available on WHKY.
