Written by STATESVILLE, N.C. – The Rowan County Podcaster and former candidate for the Rowan County Board of Commissioners, has appealed a misdemeanor stalking conviction, sending the case to Iredell County Superior Court for a new trial.
Joshua Daniel Harrington, of Salisbury, was found guilty Friday in Iredell County District Court of misdemeanor stalking involving a Mooresville Police Officer. The verdict followed a bench trial before District Court Judge Carole A. Hicks. Harrington represented himself during the proceedings after waiving his right to legal counsel and entered a plea of not guilty.
Judge Hicks sentenced Harrington to a 60-day suspended jail sentence and placed him on 24 months of supervised probation. According to court records, the judgment also included 15 days of active incarceration, submission of a DNA sample, and payment of $ 1,033 in court costs and fines. As conditions of probation, Harrington was ordered to have no contact with the victim or her family and was prohibited from accessing or using social media platforms.
Immediately following the conviction, Harrington exercised his right to appeal. Under North Carolina law, the appeal transfers the case to Superior Court for a trial de novo, meaning the matter will be heard again as an entirely new trial. Because the appeal was filed, the District Court judgment and sentence was stayed pending the outcome of the Superior Court proceedings.
The court ordered Harrington’s release under the same $ 1,000 unsecured bond that had been set following his arrest. Pending the appeal, the court also imposed conditions prohibiting him from contact with the prosecuting witness or her family and from accessing social media directly or indirectly, including through third parties.
Court records indicate the stalking charge was filed in February 2026 and alleges an offense date of December 5, 2025. During the trial, prosecutors introduced multiple exhibits into evidence, including screenshots of Facebook posts, Facebook videos, a Facebook message attributed to Harrington, emails, and a copy of a letter, according to the court’s exhibit log.
Harrington is known in the region for operating a podcast and maintaining a substantial social media following. He previously sought election to the Rowan County Board of Commissioners but was unsuccessful. Harrington spends a lot of his time on social media, where he has worked to oust the corruption within the local government and to ensure that there is accountability for their actions. Following the filing of criminal charges earlier this year, Harrington publicly characterized the prosecution as an “attack on journalism.”
The case is now pending before Iredell County Superior Court, where it will receive a new trial. While Harrington was convicted in District Court, the appeal vacates that judgment for purposes of the new proceedings. Under the law he is presumed innocent in the Superior Court trial unless and until the State again proves the charge beyond a reasonable doubt.