Chad Turner is perhaps well known as not only the former president of the Charlotte LGBT Chamber of Commerce (North Carolina), but also a convicted sex offender with too much political power. He stepped down from his position as president in 2016 after receiving criticism for being on the sex offender registry.
As reported by the N.C. State Bureau of investigation, In 1998, Mr. Turner was arrested at the age of 20. He allegedly used his position of power to fondle a 15-year-old in his sleep.
At age 36, Turner turned himself in to authorities after being indicted by a grand jury on five counts of rape. The two victims were both reported as teenage girls under the age of 13. In 2023, Turner was awarded the Harvey-Milk award for exceptional LGBTQ+ advocacy. Gays Against Groomers and outraged citizens of North Carolina got Charlotte Pride to cancel this year's awards amidst the backlash. The reason they provided was that "the award is not given out every year." However, Turner's [now deleted] section on their awards website says that it is given annually.
Chad Turner has been linked to more than seven rapes and assaults over the past 20 years. Some of the victims have even been his own family members. And according to 10TVNews, “one alleged teenage victim gave birth after being raped” (10tv, 2009). When he publicly supported removing sex-based protections for girls in their public showers, Mr. Turner was met with pushback. “No one who is a convicted sex offender should be leading a campaign to allow men to be in women’s bathrooms and showers," according to one news outlet (Harrison, 2023).
Time and time again, he has proven himself to be a danger to society and to children. But last month, the Charlotte City Council appointed this criminal to the Charlotte Business Advisory Board without even acknowledging his history as a child rapist. Gays Against Groomers' North Carolina Chapter demanded the Council remove Chad Turner from his new position. "Brian Talbert, Chapter Leader of North Carolina Gays Against Groomers, is frustrated Turner has been appointed to this leadership position," Queen City News reports.
We will never make peace with this abomination being in any position of influence within our community. He does NOT represent us or speak on our behalf. We are going to keep screaming about this monster until everybody knows the truth.
Welcome to the watchlist, Chad. Predators walk among us. And they are gaining positions of power in the government.
That should terrify you.
REFERENCES
10TV. Man charged in 2 rapes possibly linked to others. https://www.10tv.com/amp/article/news/man-charged-2-rapes-possibly-linked-others/530-d1fc7fed-815c-462b-a1e3-dec480642660
The Charlotte Observer. STEVE HARRISON. 2023. Charlotte Pride to honor sex offender. https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/politics-government/article64943682.html
North Carolina Sex Offender and Public Protection Registry. Offender Details: Turner, Chad. http://sexoffender.ncsbi.gov/details.aspx?SRN=008345S1
QC News. (2023). LGBTQ group criticizes CLT advisory appointment after member's sex offender past comes to light. https://www.qcnews.com/news/politics/lgbtq-group-criticizes-clt-advisory-appointment-after-members-sex-offender-past-comes-to-light/?fbclid=IwAR2QuYmKwmUBh6a_PIBk9Qs6jzUiMmYir-N_VQpLcPwzj47azFirXXKcaZ0
WSOC-TV. 2023. Charlotte Pride removes 2023 Harvey Milk Award recipient website. https://www.wsoctv.com/news/local/charlotte-pride-removes-2023-harvey-milk-award-recipient-website/FEKOU3KJMNCKVMCWZNVM4LXVEM/