By Madison Lipe for THE PAPER
The nine counts of worthless check charges against Morganton Subways former owner William Parish have been dismissed.
According to the Burke County clerk’s office, the charges were dismissed on Friday, July 25. Assistant District Attorney Mitch Walker said the charges were dropped because law enforcement was able to verify that restitution was being paid in full.
Walker said dropping charges is standard practice for simple worthless check cases once restitution is paid.
BACKGROUND
In early July 2025, Morganton Public Safety began receiving reports of unpaid wages from Morganton Subway restaurant employees. The case was then assigned to the Morganton Criminal Investigations Division. Investigators then determined that payroll checks of some employees were not being paid due to insufficient funds. They then determined that William Parish was the owner of the locations.
The incident reports showed the unpaid checks were worth $4,788.50. Each check was less than $800, which had led to misdemeanor charges. In most cases, a worthless check must be written for more than $2,000 before being classified a felony, according to North Carolina General Statute 14-107.
Madison Lipe is the municipal reporter for The Paper. She can be reached at 828-445-8595 or madison@thepaper.media.