The Wilkes County Sheriff’s Office has arrested a Statesville man on multiple felony and misdemeanor charges, including first-degree rape, stemming from alleged offenses that occurred more than two decades ago.
Kenneth Wayne Sparks, 48, was taken into custody Sunday on warrants charging him with first-degree rape, kidnapping, incest, second-degree rape, and indecent liberties with a child. All the felony charges involve the same female juvenile victim and are alleged to have occurred in January 2002 in Wilkes County, according to court documents.
Det. William Bishop of the sheriff’s office is listed as the investigating officer on the felony cases, while Deputy Riley Shaw is listed as the arresting officer.
At the time of his arrest, Sparks was also served with several unrelated misdemeanor warrants issued by the North Carolina Highway Patrol. Those charges include reckless driving to endanger, failure to heed light or siren, driving while license revoked after an impaired revocation notice, having an open container of alcohol, and failure to wear a seatbelt.
The misdemeanor warrants were filed by Trooper Austin Adams and stem from an incident reported in Wilkes County on July 20, 2024.
Court records list Sparks with multiple addresses, including Harris Bridge Road in Statesville, Sky Drive in Madison, and also as homeless.
As of Wednesday, Sparks remained in custody at the Wilkes County Jail.
