A Morganton man will spend 12 years in prison after pleading guilty to statutory rape. 24-year-old Pasqual Mendez alleged he was married to the 14-year-old female he is guilty of assaulting; saying he purchased her from Guatemala. Reports say officers from Morganton Public Safety responded to an assault call in May 2016; where they found the victim in the back yard crying - telling officers Mendez had hit and shoved her because she did not cook dinner. During a forensic interview with the Gingerbread House Advocacy Center, the victim told investigators that her mother and Mendez arranged the relationship; meeting Mendez for the first time when she arrived at the Charlotte airport. The victim also told officials she cooked, cleaned, and was forced into daily sexual activity with the defendant. A medical exam revealed she was pregnant. The victim remains in the custody of Burke County Social Services. Mendez will be required to register as a sex offender for 30 years.

This week is National Police Week. The calendar week in which May 15th falls was proclaimed by President Kennedy in 1962 and a joint resolution by Congress established National Police Week, which pays special recognition to those law enforcement officers who have lost their lives in the line of duty.

Hickory City Manager Warren Wood, presented his Fiscal Year 2017-2018 recommended budget at Tuesday night's City Council meeting. The recommended budget totals $95,696,964 for all City operations, capital improvements, and debt service requirements for the upcoming year. Hickory City Council will hold a public hearing on the FY 2017-2018 recommended budget on Tuesday, June 6th at 7pm during its' regular City Council meeting at the Julian G. Whitener Municipal Building in Council Chambers.

A Hickory man is charged with two counts of Trafficking Opium of Heroin. The Catawba County Sheriff's Office on Wednesday reports the arrest of 23-year-old Christopher Dalton Oberle. Bond was set at $100,000 with a court appearance scheduled for today.