Scott Reilly was sworn in as the new District Attorney for the 36th Prosecutorial District during a ceremony held at the Catawba County Justice Center on Tuesday, January 1, 2019.
In front of family, friends and supporters, Reilly and 14 Assistant District Attorneys took the oath of office administered by the Honorable Gregory R. Hayes, Resident Superior Court Judge from Catawba County.
“I want to make a difference by giving back to our community, and I expect our ADAs (Assistant District Attorneys) to engage in ways to give back to our community,” Reilly said. “I understand that I have been given a vast amount of responsibility. I am asking family, friends and supporters for their thoughts and prayers in helping me make the right decisions and do the right things. This is the highlight of my professional career. It truly is an honor and a privilege to serve the citizens of our district.”
He begins his first term after defeating former DA David Learner in the 2018 primary to earn the Republican nod for the office. Reilly ran unopposed in the November general election.
As District Attorney, Reilly will oversee the prosecution of criminal cases in the 36th Prosecutorial District, formerly known as the 25th District, comprised of Burke, Caldwell and Catawba counties.
Reilly, who has been practicing law for nearly 30 years, is no stranger to the District Attorney’s Office, having served as an ADA under former DA Bob Thomas from 1989 to 1994.
As he begins his tenure as District Attorney, Reilly has identified a number of issues he wants to prioritize as he and his administration move forward. He wants to address the large number of pending murder cases, particularly in Catawba County, determining which of those need to go to trial and how best to resolve them to bring closure to victims of those aging cases.
He also wants to implement a jail diversion initiative to help substance abuse defendants get treatment and assistance with their addiction rather than remaining in an endless cycle of being arrested and going to jail over and over again.
“Hopefully, we can get them off drugs so they can go to work, support their family, be a good spouse and good parent,” Reilly explained.
That being said, he noted the need to be tough on drug traffickers, dealers and sellers of “the poison they are bringing in to ruin so many people’s lives.”
In addition, Reilly wants to foster relationships between county commissioners and local school boards to make safety in schools a top priority in light of numerous incidents of school violence across the nation.
“We will aggressively prosecute anyone who compromises the safety of our students and teachers,” he said.
Reilly also acknowledged a desire to build strong relationships with law enforcement agencies throughout the three-county district to better deal with criminal activity through prosecution of offenders.
“I look forward to working with each of our law enforcement agencies and giving them the support, encouragement and confidence they deserve,” he said. “I want to build and strengthen the relationships between this office and our brave law enforcement partners.”
Following is a list of ADAs and support staff members for each of the three counties in the 36th Prosecutorial District:
BURKE
Assistant District Attorneys
Michelle Lippert
Lance Sigmon
Support Staff
David Dimaggio
Michele Newman
Brittany Williams
Caleb Williams
CALDWELL
Assistant District Attorneys
Andrew Jennings
Nancy Lee
Jennifer Mathews
Andrea Plyler
Support Staff
Ann Spann
John Hoyle
Regina Reid
Brooklyn Williams
CATAWBA
Assistant District Attorneys
Jamie Adams
Sean Baetjer
Amber Eades
Melanie Earles
Jonathan Greer
Scott Lippert
Jessica Phillips
Mitch Walker, Chief Assistant District Attorney
Support Staff
Tom Adkins, Investigator
Jordan Arney
Amy Bishoff
Erica Figueroa
Belinda Gaither
Heather Helms
Kathryn Isenhour, Administrative Assistant
Nathan Key|
Stacey London
Tiffani Parker
Meredith Scott
Tammy West
CUTLINES
Scott Reilly, center, takes the oath of office as District Attorney as his wife Beth holds the Bible for him during Tuesday’s ceremony at the Catawba County Justice Center. The oath is administered by Resident Superior Court Judge Gregory R. Hayes, left.
CONTACT: Nathan Key
Phone: 828-695-6193
Email: Nathan.D.Key@nccourts.org