Sheriff Darren Campbell stated On April 1, 2016, the Iredell County Sheriff’s Office received information that a female had been assaulted by her boyfriend Donnie Lee Cherry Jr, 29, of 137 Ashley Brook Lane, Statesville. Cherry was located and arrested for assault on a female. At the time of Cherry’s arrest he was found in possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia and was charged for these as well. Cherry was given a $1500.00 bond on the drug charges and no bond on the assault charge. Mr. Cherry has a pending district court date for these charges on June 6, 2016.
The investigation was forwarded to Det. Sgt. Katie Harwell of the Iredell County Sheriff’s Office Special Victims Unit. After further investigation, Det. Harwell obtained an additional warrant on Cherry for Habitual Misdemeanor Assault. Cherry was located on May 13, 2016 and arrested on the new charge and was placed in the Iredell County Detention Center under an additional $5000.00 bond.
Cherry has a history of physical violence. Cherry has been found guilty of: Assault on a Female in 2008, Simple Assault in 2007, 2006, and 2004, and Assault and Battery in 2006. He was also convicted in 2010 for Felony Second Degree Kidnapping and Common law robbery in 2008.
Cherry has six assault cases pending from 2015 that include 3 charges for Assault on a Female, 1 charge for Habitual Misdemeanor Assault, 1 charge for Assault Inflicting Serious Injury and 1 charge for Assault by Strangulation.