FROM STAFF REPORTS
Mooresville Police Chief Ron Campurciani expressed his dismay on Monday with a special prosecutor’s handling of a case involving a former MPD officer who sexually abused a minor.
Calling it “the most outrageous prosecution” he has witnessed in his almost four decade career in law enforcement, Campurciani said special prosecutor Donna Rainwater should be held accountable for the handling of former officer Matthew Beebe’s case.
Beebe, 38, of Sherrills Ford received probation after pleading guilty to two counts of indecent liberties with a minor for crimes committed in Iredell County and one county of indecent liberties for a crime committed in Catawba County. He will be listed on the sex offender registry for 30 years and must surrender his law enforcement certificate.
That sentence, which came as a surprise after the chief had been assured that Beebe would serve time in state prison, was unacceptable to Campurciani and other town officials.
“Putting a predator like Beebe back on the streets is not only dangerous but irresponsible,” the chief said during a news conference Monday. “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.”
Investigation Timeline
On Friday, July 28, 2023, information was provided to MPD Command staff that an officer had 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 Catawba County Sheriff’s Office, on Wednesday, August 2, 2023, 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.
“As I stated in the original press release when this occurred, the Mooresville Police Department acted quickly, fairly and decisively on this issue,” Campurciani said. “We were as alarmed as the public was with these allegations. We knew that it would be a black mark against the department, but we believed then as we do now that moving quickly on this and being as transparent as we could with the public would be the only appropriate course of action for us to take. We also knew by the evidence that we gathered, that there would be additional charges against Beebe, and the chance for additional victims to be identified.”
Iredell County District Attorney Sarah Kirkman 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 the MPD and CCSO worked collectively and independently with the special prosecutor on the evidence for trial. A trial date was scheduled and the case continued to move forward despite inevitable delays.
In August 2024, MPD was contacted by Rainwater, the special prosecutor, 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—an MPD investigator was contacted by Special Prosecutor Rainwater via email. In this 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.”
Statement from Mooresville Police 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.