Last Updated on November 3, 2024 11:09 am
In August of 2024, an Elizabethton Police Department investigator received a message on an undercover social media account from a male subject solicitating sex from a 16-year-old female.
During the month of September, several other messages were sent from the male continuing the exploitation attempt.
On October 3, 2024, pursuant to an earlier Facebook search warrant in reference to sexual exploitation of a minor, the Elizabethton PD investigator received the Facebook user information for the suspect “David Eller” account.
Through the course of the investigation, the investigator was able to determine that the account was being utilized by a man in Avery County, NC identified as 44-year-old Timothy Charles Rupard.
Rupard had been in consistent communication with what he believed to be a sixteen-year-old female. Throughout these conversations, Rupard had repeatedly expressed his desire to engage in sexual acts with the minor female.
On multiple occasions Rupard concocted plans to come to Tennessee and meet the minor female for the purpose of engaging in a sexual act with her.
According to reports, on October 10, 2024, Rupard messaged the minor female and expressed his desire to meet her and told her that he would be willing to come to her home in Tennessee to see her.
The minor female expressed to Rupard that she was out of school for fall break and that her mother would be working during the day.
Rupard continued conversations with the minor female on October 11, 2024, and continued to express that he would be traveling from North Carolina to Tennessee to see her.
Rupard had discussed previously with the minor female that he would bring a THC vape pen for them to get “high” together and bring one with him that the female could have.
At approximately 11:55 am on October 11, 2024, Rupard called the minor female from the David Eller Facebook account. At approximately 12:25 pm, the minor female returned Rupard's call and Rupard engaged in an approximately two-minute conversation with the minor female.
During the phone call Rupard asked the female if there was anything that she needed him to bring her in order help her out after the recent flood, and the minor female advised Rupard that she needed toilet paper, paper towels, and to bring some sprite for her to drink.
Rupard then changed his tone and asked the minor female if she was nervous about their upcoming meeting. At approximately 12:55 pm Rupard called a second time and engaged in a conversation with the minor female again.
During this conversation, Rupard advised the minor female that he was leaving and heading that way. Throughout the texts Rupard asked the minor female if she was home alone and that he wanted to talk. Rupard also asked the minor female if he had permission to hug her.
Rupard advised the minor female that he was stuck in traffic and sent a photograph of the accident in the messages. Through this photograph, investigators determined that Rupard was driving a blue GMC pickup truck with a camper top over the bed.
Investigators knew from previous record checks that Rupard owned a 2013 GMC Sierra pickup truck. Law enforcement officers staged themselves in an empty apartment at Pine Ridge Circle apartments and waited for Rupard to arrive.
At approximately 2:48 pm Rupard arrived in a blue GMC Sierra with a camper top outside of the apartment and texted the minor female that he was there. Rupard remained in his vehicle for approximately thirty seconds, at which time Investigator Richardson gave the signal for the arrest team to apprehend Rupard.
Two officers pulled in front of Rupard's vehicle and began giving him commands to exit the vehicle. Rupard took an abrupt right evasive action narrowly missing the vehicle of the arrest team and hopped on to the curb before traveling back into the roadway.
An unmarked police vehicle approached Rupard with lights and sirens activated to stop Rupard's flight. Rupard again evaded the officer by making a sharp right-hand turn and maneuvering over a curb, into the grass and then back onto the roadway.
Rupard continued to evade law enforcement until finally coming to a stop a short time later. During a search incident to arrest Rupard was found to have two THC vape pens in his left front pocket.
In addition, toilet paper, paper towels, and sprite as well as various other cleaning supplies were located within the vehicle during a pre tow inventory search.
Elizabethton Police investigators charged Timothy Charles Rupard with TCA 39-13-528 Sexual Exploitation of a minor, as well as TCA 39-17-418 Simple possession of Schedule VI. Rupard was transported to Elizabethton Police Department CID where a post arrest interview occurred.
He was then transported to the Carter County detention center without incident.
Rupard was additionally charged with the following traffic offenses: TCA 55-8-149 Stop Sign Violation, TCA 39-16-603 Felony Evading, TCA 55-8-116 Unlawful Passing Vehicle in Opposite Direction on Left, and TCA 55-10-205 Reckless Driving.
Rupard was released from jail after posting a $38,000 bond and is scheduled to appear to answer the charges in the General Sessions Court of Carter County on November 18, 2024.
