Stacy Lee Austin, the owner of a Chick-fil-A franchise in St. Clairsville, Ohio, was arrested in March 2024 after allegedly driving roughly 400 miles to Rowan County, North Carolina, to sexually assault a 15-year-old girl he had contacted through social media. Austin, 49 at the time, was charged with statutory sex offense with a child and felony solicitation of a child by computer, and he has remained in the Rowan County Detention Center since his arrest while his case moves slowly through the courts.
How Austin Was Caught
On March 5, 2024, Rowan County Sheriff’s Office deputies were called to a home after a report of a breaking-and-entering. The homeowner told deputies they had found Austin inside the residence with their 15-year-old child. Deputies later found Austin’s underwear in a bathroom trashcan along with clothing belonging to the teenager.1WSB-TV. Chick-fil-A Franchise Owner Caught Performing Sex Acts With 15-Year-Old NC Girl, Deputies Say
Investigators said Austin had been communicating with the teenager through a social media app and had tried to arrange to pick her up before traveling to the residence. When questioned, Austin admitted to performing sexual acts with the teenager and reportedly expressed concern about losing his job as a Chick-fil-A franchise owner.1WSB-TV. Chick-fil-A Franchise Owner Caught Performing Sex Acts With 15-Year-Old NC Girl, Deputies Say
The Charges
Austin faces two counts: statutory sex offense with a child and felony solicitation of a child by computer.2Fox Business. Ohio Chick-fil-A Owner Allegedly Drove 400 Miles for Sex With Minor Met Online
Under North Carolina law, statutory sex offense with a child by an adult applies when someone 18 or older engages in a sexual act with a child under 13. It is a Class B1 felony carrying a mandatory minimum sentence of 300 months (25 years) in prison, with the possibility of life without parole in cases of egregious aggravation.3North Carolina General Assembly. N.C.G.S. § 14-27.28 The victim in this case was 15, so a lesser included offense under a related statute may apply. Charging details beyond the offense name have not been publicly clarified.
The second charge, solicitation of a child by computer under N.C.G.S. § 14-202.3, makes it a crime for a person 16 or older to use a computer or electronic device to entice a child under 16 to meet for the purpose of committing an unlawful sex act.4North Carolina General Assembly. N.C.G.S. § 14-202.3 The offense is elevated to a Class D felony when the defendant actually appears at the meeting location, which prosecutors said happened here.2Fox Business. Ohio Chick-fil-A Owner Allegedly Drove 400 Miles for Sex With Minor Met Online Under this statute, consent is not a defense.
Detention and Case Status
Austin was initially held with no bond under North Carolina’s Pretrial Integrity Act, which took effect in October 2023 and requires that defendants charged with certain serious offenses be held until a judge presides over their first appearance.5Idaho News. St. Clairsville Ohio Chick-fil-A Owner Traveled to Rowan County to Sexually Assault Teen6North Carolina General Assembly. Session Law 2023-75 (Pretrial Integrity Act) At his first appearance on March 7, 2024, his bond was set at $100,000.7The Intelligencer. St. Clairsville Chick-fil-A Owner Charged With Sex Crimes in North Carolina Makes First Court Appearance
The case has moved slowly. Court appearances scheduled through June and July 2024 were continued more than once, and as of the most recent available reporting in mid-2024, Austin remained in custody at the Rowan County Detention Center with his case officially classified as pending.8WTRF. The Ohio Chick-fil-A Owner Who Allegedly Performed Sexual Acts on a 15-Year-Old Still Has Case Pending No trial date or plea agreement has been reported.
What Happened to the Franchise
Austin, a resident of Belmont, Ohio, had been selected by Chick-fil-A as a franchise operator in 2019 and opened the St. Clairsville location in 2020.7The Intelligencer. St. Clairsville Chick-fil-A Owner Charged With Sex Crimes in North Carolina Makes First Court Appearance No prior criminal history has been reported.
Shortly after the arrest, Chick-fil-A said the company has “zero tolerance for the type of serious conduct alleged” and stated that Austin, an independent franchise owner, would “not be present in the restaurant” during the investigation and legal process.9Syracuse.com. Chick-fil-A Franchise Owner Accused of Driving 400 Miles to Sexually Abuse Teen Employees at the St. Clairsville restaurant later confirmed to reporters that the location has a new owner and Austin is no longer affiliated with the brand.10Yahoo News. Fact Check: Yes, Chick-fil-A Franchise Owner Charged Chick-fil-A did not publicly announce a formal termination of the franchise agreement.