NC man described as serial rapist sentenced to at least 28 years in prison
By Kimberly King
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BUNCOMBE COUNTY, North Carolina (WLOS) — A man described by law enforcement as a serial rapist in Western North Carolina pleaded guilty on Tuesday to raping multiple women dating back to 2016.
On July 5, Michael Greenarch, 46, of Clyde, pleaded guilty to five separate felony sex assaults at his hearing. He was sentenced to serve a minimum sentence of 28 years in prison with a corresponding 38 years maximum in North Carolina prisons. Greenarch was ordered to register as sex offender for the remainder of his life, “and will be subject to 10 years of satellite-based monitoring (ankle monitor) once he is released from prison,” Buncombe County District Attorney Todd Williams said in a press release. Each of the victims was granted a permanent (lifetime) no-contact order barring all contact from Greenarch.
Police say Greenarch preyed on Asheville women who appeared to be prostitutes, threatened them at knifepoint and then raped them in his car.
He pleaded guilty to the following:
Two counts of first-degree rape One count of first-degree forcible sex offense One count of attempted first-degree forcible sex offense One count of second-degree forcible sex offense
Assistant District Attorney David Denninger read two women’s victim impact statements in court. These are some excerpts of what the women said about Greenarch and statements to Superior Court Judge Bill Horne:
He held a knife to my throat. Women and children will never be safe. I knew I had to get out of that truck. I can’t walk to the store without thinking someone’s following me. Please Judge, don’t ever let this rapist ever walk the streets again.
Asheville defense attorney Jack Crawford is representing Greenarch. The plea hearing was delayed several hours Tuesday morning because Crawford had to attend another hearing for a case in another county.
Law enforcement say Greenarch didn’t know any of his female victims, adding that he would assault his victims often in daylight, kick them out of his car and leave them naked on the street.
Greenarch had previously been arrested back in January 2021 and charged in connection with two separate attempted kidnapping and assaults in the River Arts District of Asheville. In May 2021, he was indicted on felony sex offenses.
Greenarch has been a registered sexual offender since 2000. His criminal history includes convictions for indecent liberties with a child (2000) and indecent exposure (2005).
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