NC cops arrest man they say is serial sex offender and warns public to ‘steer clear’

Reports of young men being lured into an older man’s home with promises of alcohol and women, only to be drugged and sexually assaulted, have become too familiar to the Pitt County Sheriff’s Office.

Major Paula Dance delivered what she called a “public safety announcement to the community” on Monday to announce that Terry Lynn Best was arrested and charged again with a sex offense Aug. 24, according to jail records at the Pitt County Detention Center.

This is the fourth time since 2006 that the 56-year-old Greenville, N.C., man has been arrested on this charge, according to Dance, who addressed the media Monday regarding the man she considers a serial sex offender; The news conference video was posted to Facebook by WCTI-12.

While speaking to the media about the most recent arrest, Dance recounted the pattern of incidents in 2006, 2012, and 2015.

According to the sheriff’s office, Best preys on “young men,” and entices them to come to his home “with the promise of alcohol and women.”

Then, Best will slip something into the young man’s drink to incapacitate him, likely a narcotic, before sexually assaulting him, Dance told the media.

“Here we are again in 2018. Arrested Aug. 22, for the same exact crime, same MO,” Dance said at the news conference.

While Best has been arrested four times in 12 years on the same charge, according to Dance, she told the media there are more victims of the Greenville man’s scheme. Dance said there are at least three to four other victims.

Some of those young men will not come forward and cooperate with law enforcement because they are embarrassed, she said, while others do not want to have to deal with the public spectacle of “having to testify in court,” according to Dance.

She added that Best is “opportunistic” in his pursuit of young men.

“Mr. Best appears to roam, and look for young men that are maybe idling about and promises them alcohol and girls,” Dance said at the news conference.

While Dance was pointed in her remarks about Best and his crimes, she offered a more veiled criticism for the prosecutors who have previously dealt with him in court.

When asked why Best was allowed to reach plea deals on the first three charges, Dance responded by saying, “That would be a question better asked to the district attorney’s office.”

Through those plea deals, Dance said, Best has avoided being required to register as a sex offender. She told the media that it’s her hope that Best is added to that registry following the most recent arrest, and that he “would get a disposition that is representative on what he’s charged with now and what he’s been charged with in the past.”

Those plea deals reduced his charges to misdemeanors, WCTI-12 reported.

Best is currently behind bars, after his bond was set at $500,000 according to jail records.

In spite of that, Dance issued a stern warning.

“It is imperative that the public at this point understands that if they encounter Mr. Best to pretty much steer clear,” Dance said during the news conference. “It probably would behoove the community, specifically as a young male, to not engage or take rides or promises of any of the things he has exhibited in the past.”

This story was originally published August 28, 2018 at 8:04 AM.