Attorney General Jeff Jackson Secures Conviction and 40-Year Sentence in Child Rape Case

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, September 24, 2025
Email: nahmed@ncdoj.gov
Phone: 919-538-2809

RALEIGH – Attorney General Jeff Jackson announced that the Department of Justice secured a trial conviction against Timothy Foster on Tuesday. A Buncombe County jury found Foster guilty on seven counts of statutory sex offense with a person 15 years or younger, three counts of statutory rape of a person 15 years or younger, and three counts of taking indecent liberties with a child. Superior Court Judge Alan Thornburg sentenced Foster to between 40 to 58 years in prison, permanently barred him from contacting the victim, and required that he register as a sex offender upon release.

“This is the mission of the Department of Justice – to be a shield for the people of North Carolina,” said Attorney General Jeff Jackson. “This defendant repeatedly hurt a child in his care and it’s right that he spends the rest of his life in prison. I’m grateful to the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office, the State Bureau of Investigation, and my office’s prosecutors for handling this case.”  

“The Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office extends its sincere thanks to our law enforcement partners and the community members who assisted in this investigation,” said Buncombe County Sheriff Quentin Miller. “This successful outcome is a testament to the dedication and collaboration of all the law enforcement professionals involved. This investigation proves that when we combine our intelligence, resources, and resolve, we can protect our residents and bring offenders to justice. Here in Buncombe County, we are a community of We! The justice delivered today will have a lasting impact, making our neighborhoods safer for everyone!”

Jocelyn Wright, a special prosecutor for the Department of Justice, prosecuted this case after it was referred by Buncombe County District Attorney Todd Williams.

“We would like to thank Jocelyn Wright with the Department of Justice’s Special Prosecution and Law Enforcement Section,” said Buncombe County Detective Tonya Reeves. “Her compassion, hard work and dedication in this case was instrumental in obtaining justice for the victim in this case.”

In February 2022, Foster reported to the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office that the alleged victim, who is his adopted daughter, had not returned home after school. Upon further investigation, the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office and the State Bureau of Investigation determined that Foster had sexually abused the victim. Law enforcement determined that the sexual abuse took place between January 2020 and February 2022, when the victim was between 13 and 15.

###