OXFORD, N.C. _ Granville County, N.C., Sheriff Brindell Wilkins was indicted Monday on two counts of felony obstruction of justice amid allegations he discussed killing a former deputy who had a recording of him using "racially insensitive language."
Wilkins, who has served since 2009, was indicted after a recorded conversation with a "well-known" person who threatened a former deputy, Joshua Freeman, Wake County District Attorney Lorrin Freeman said Monday.
During a 2014 conversation, court records said, Wilkins indicated he thought Freeman would soon unveil an audio recording of him using "racially insensitive language" to authorities in Raleigh.
The sheriff advised the person to "take care of it" and "the only way you gonna stop him is kill him," court records said, adding instructions on how to commit the murder without being identified.
"You ain't got the weapon, you ain't got nothing to go on," Wilkins said, according to court records. "The only way we find out these murder things is people talk. You can't tell nobody, not a thing."
In that conversation, Wilkins heard specific threats to kill his former deputy at a particular time and place but did not warn the officer or take any action, court records said.
Court documents said Wilkins did so "in secrecy and malice, with deceit and intent to defraud."
In November, Freeman was contacted about the conversation by Mike Waters, who is the district attorney in Granville County but had represented Freeman when in private practice.
The state Bureau of Investigation has been looking into accounting and operations of the Granville County drug interdiction unit, assisted by federal agents. That subsequent investigation continues.
Wilkins was released on a $20,000 bond and remains in office. He could not be reached Monday night.
"Technically," Freeman said, "he can continue to serve if he chooses to until convicted."
