A Western North Carolina man will spend at least two decades behind bars for child sex crimes. The Henderson County Sheriff's Office says 32 year old Dakota James Cook of Mills River was arrested in March of 2022.
They began investigating Cook after receiving several online tips on him from the National Center For Missing and Exploited Children. When deputies searched Cook's home, they found a 12 year old girl there. She told deputies that Cook had sexually abused her.
Cook entered guilty please to multiple counts of statutory rape and incest. Cook will serve a minimum of 20 years and faces a max sentence of 29 years. He also will be required to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.
