On Wednesday the County of Wayne and Sheriff Larry Pierce released a joint statement on Wednesday regarding an announcement from the United States Department of Justice.

The joint statement said, “Earlier today, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina issued a press release indicating that a current and former Wayne County deputy had been charged with numerous federal charges.” “Sheriff Larry Pierce was not made aware of the specific charges until the U.S. Attorney’s press release. Wayne County and the Sheriff’s Office were notified in the Fall of 2021 of an ongoing federal investigation. The County, Sheriff’s Office, and all employees fully cooperated with the investigation and provided all information that was requested from authorities. After learning of the investigation, the Wayne County Finance Department and the Sheriff’s Office implemented immediate corrective action. Major Chris Worth has been placed on administrative leave without pay, pending the outcome of the charges. Wayne County and the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office will continue to cooperate with any requests from the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.”