Chick-fil-A owner drove over 400 miles to engage in sex acts with 15-year-old

[Artaxerxes II]

Rowan County Sheriff: https://www.qcnews.com/news/u-s/north-c ... y-sheriff/

ROWAN COUNTY, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — An Ohio Chick-fil-A owner drove about 6.5 hours into NC to engage in sex acts with a 15-year-old, the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office said.

On Tuesday, March 5, deputies responded to a local home for reports of a breaking and entering in progress. As deputies arrived at the home, they found Stacy Lee Austin, 49, inside with the homeowner’s 15-year-old child.

Responding deputies discovered that Austin had driven to the victim’s home from Belmont, Ohio, and had been communicating with the young teen on social media.

Deputies said in those online conversations, Austin had tried to schedule to pick the teen up and while he was at the victim’s home, he performed sexual activities with them.

Investigators located Austin’s underwear in the trashcan of a bathroom in the home, along with some of the teen’s clothing. When questioned about the incident, Austin admitted to the sexual acts and “was concerned about losing his job as owner of a Chick-fil-A in Ohio.”

In a statement to Queen City News, a Chick-fil-A spokesperson said, “We have a zero-tolerance policy for the type of serious conduct alleged. Stacy Austin is currently an independent franchise owner, but as the investigation and legal process continues, he will not be present in the restaurant.”

Austin has been charged with statutory sex offense with a child and placed in the Rowan County Detention Center without bond.