Police: Buncombe special student assistant took indecent liberties with child; out of jail

A Buncombe County Schools employee who worked with students with physical and intellectual disabilities took indecent liberties with a child, according to police and a public records database.

A Buncombe County Schools employee, Greg Sharrits, 60, of Arden, was arrested and charged May 29 with the one felony indecent liberties count, a spokesperson for Buncombe County Sheriff Quentin Miller said.

Arrest and Charge

An arrest warrant said the alleged crime occurred on May 28. The last day of class for the system is June 10. Sharrits was placed in the county jail under a $200,000 bond and released on May 31 to a bail bondsman, sheriff’s spokesperson Christina Esmay said on June 3.

Job Position

Greg Sharrits was an intensive intervention assistant with the Progressive Education Program, according to a Citizen Times database of public employees. It is unclear if that was his job at the time of his arrest.

School System Response

A schools spokesperson declined to provide details on how long Sharrits worked for Buncombe County Schools, his most recent position, and his access to students. The spokesperson stated that Sharrits is no longer employed by the Buncombe County Schools system.

Legal Proceedings

Sharrits is to appear in Buncombe County District Court on June 21. He is represented by a public defender, Ehsan Akhavi.

According to the warrant, Sharrits took “immoral, improper, and indecent liberties” with a child under the age of 16. Indecent liberties is a Class F felony in North Carolina, punishable by up to five years in prison.

Support Resources

Those who have been victimized in a sex crime can seek help at the Family Justice Center or Our Voice.

Impact

Sharrits is the second school system employee to face charges of indecent liberties with a child in recent years.