Search warrants in Parsons' case reveals possible charges; officials investigating

By Catherine Bilkey

ROWAN COUNTY, N.C. —As investigators desperately search for Erica Parsons, warrants reveal crimes investigators have been looking into during searches of the Parsons family property.

Eyewitness News talked to the district attorney's office. It said, by law, it can't discuss any active cases.

But Eyewitness News has been pouring through search warrants in the case, and they reveal what charges investigators may be looking at, even if they can't find out what happened to Erica Parsons.

In a search warrant obtained by Eyewitness News, it listed "the crime of obtaining property by false pretenses." The warrant was for Casey, Sandy and Erica Parsons' financial records.

"Obtaining property by false pretenses is that you make some false representation, and that you receive some goods and services as a result," law expert Rob Corbett told Eyewitness News. "It is a felony, and it is eligible for an active sentence, but an active sentence is not mandatory."

According to the warrant, that investigation involved government assistance the Parsons received for Erica even though she hadn't lived with them for nearly two years. Two more warrants for the Parsons' home, and a shed that the Parsons kept locked, listed "missing person and identity theft" as crimes. Erica Parsons is the missing person. Our legal expert said these warrants don't mean the Parsons will be charged, but they do reveal how authorities are investigating.

"What you have is the search warrant; so it doesn't mean that they will be charged with the obtaining property by false pretense, or any other criminal offense," Corbett said. "This is just law enforcement looking to see if there is enough information or enough evidence to charge with a criminal offense."

Eyewitness News reached out to the Parsons' attorney, but he is not talking to media at this time.