CMPD Officer Charged With Harassment, Granted Bond On Condition Of No Contact With Victim
Oct 31, 2024
ROCK HILL, S.C. — A Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officer was arrested Tuesday and charged with first degree harassment CMPD announced. Officers stated Dylan Lineberger was arrested by Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office. Lineberger was extradited to Rock Hill South Carolina for a Bond Hearing Wednesday.
According to an investigator, Lineberger rented a car to follow his ex-girlfriend of four years. Rock Hill Police said Lineberger was accused of vandalizing several cars on Grady Drive with Pepto Bismol. The victim was staying in the area and said she doesn’t know how Lineberger was able to find her.
The same victim stated that Lineberger followed her at a Food Lion on Ebenezer Road. During Lineberger’s court appearance a victim’s advocate claimed to the judge that Lineberger called the victim repeatedly from random numbers, attempted to log into her email account, manipulated he, and ignored requests to leave the victim alone.
“The defendant threatened suicide. Called his mother and said he would only speak to the victim. Once again he played on her emotions and tried to manipulate her,” said a victim’s advocate during Lineberger’s bond hearing
The victim speculated that Lineberger could have used his position with CMPD to track her location.
“I have had to move twice within the last month because I have not felt safe. I still do not know the methods of how the defendant was following me,” Lineberger’s victim said in court.
Lineberger’s attorney, Chris Lusk, argued that the State has no evidence Lineberger tracked his victim. The GPS on the car rented by Linberger tied him to Grady Drive and Ebenezer Road. Lusk claimed to the judge that his client acted due to a mental crisis. Lusk said Lineberger has voluntarily committed himself to mental treatment through Hopeway of Charlotte.
The judge decided quickly to grant Lineberger bond set at $10,000 on the condition that Lineberger has no contact with the victim. Lineberger has also been required to be monitored at all times by GPS.
CMPD announced Lineberger has been placed on administrative leave without pay until the outcome of a CMPD Internal Affairs Investigation. CMPD Chief Johnny Jennings issued the statement below.
“I am tremendously disappointed to learn of the arrest of Officer Lineberger. Any time an officer is arrested, it shakes the public’s confidence in law enforcement and erodes trust in policing. We work daily to improve relationships with the community and will continue to do so. We have high expectations for our men and women in uniform, but when our officers are not at work, we expect them to abide by the same laws they are sworn to uphold.”