Cherokee County Sheriff Dustin Smith to Resign, Will Not Seek Reelection

Cherokee County Sheriff Dustin Smith announced Thursday that he will resign effective Friday and will not seek reelection, following a public call for his resignation from District Attorney Ashley Hornsby Welch citing a “loss in confidence, trust, and respect” in his leadership.

Welch formally requested Smith’s resignation in a letter, saying ongoing issues within the sheriff’s office had negatively impacted the criminal justice system and raised concerns about officer safety and morale.

“The repeated negative attention surrounding the Office of the Sheriff of Cherokee County negatively impacts court cases in our criminal justice system,” Welch wrote. “All of this is prejudicial to the administration of justice which brings the Office of Sheriff into disrepute. … I see fear and very low morale in your department.”

Smith, a one-term sheriff, said the decision came after months of reflection and prayer, and cited the toll the job had taken on his personal life.

“The past three years have taken a real toll – on my family, my wife, my son, my health, and my personal relationships,” Smith said in a statement released late Thursday morning. “At this point in my life, I believe God is calling me to focus on my family and the next chapter ahead.”

Smith had already filed to run for reelection and was facing two opponents in the March Republican primary. He was also expected to participate in a candidate forum Friday.

Welch’s letter outlined a series of incidents she said contributed to her loss of confidence, including concerns raised after reviewing investigative and civil discovery related to the Kloepfer shooting, problems with the sheriff’s office evidence room, and what she described as inaction surrounding multiple jail escapes. One of those escapes preceded the shooting death of Detention Officer Jeremy Flattes by an inmate who had previously escaped from the Cherokee County jail.

Welch also said Smith failed to comply with judges’ requests to limit the number of inmates transported to the courthouse at one time, citing safety concerns.

Smith’s first term was marked by several high-profile controversies, including a botched SWAT raid that resulted in a multi-million-dollar judgment against the county, three jail escapes, the temporary closure of the evidence room because of missing evidence discovered in an audit conducted before Smith took office, and the loss of federal prisoner revenue that significantly reduced county income.

The Scout recently reported allegations from a former jail inmate who said Smith should have taken precautions that could have prevented Flattes’ death. Critics have also accused Smith of repeatedly deflecting blame for problems within the sheriff’s office.

In his statement, Smith acknowledged the challenges of his term but defended the work of his staff and the direction of the department.

“The next sheriff does not need to reinvent anything,” Smith said. “They simply need to continue what has already been built.”

Smith pointed to expanded patrol coverage, strengthened K-9 operations, addiction treatment partnerships, mental health co-responder programs and sheriff’s office accreditation as accomplishments he said should continue under new leadership.

Smith becomes the third sheriff in far-western North Carolina in recent years to leave office prematurely. Former Graham County Sheriff Brad Hoxit and former Swain County Sheriff Curtis Cochrane both left office amid allegations of criminal activity.

Welch said her request for Smith’s resignation was made on behalf of the citizens of Cherokee County and the criminal justice system.

“Your oath requires you to put the needs of your community above yourself,” she wrote. “Resigning allows you to do the right thing and prevent a removal petition that lists all the evidence and proof into the public record.”

Smith said his resignation is effective Feb. 6, 2026, and urged the public to support the next sheriff and the department moving forward.

“Cherokee County is in good hands,” Smith said. “The foundation is solid. The momentum is real. Now it’s time for someone else to carry it forward.”