NC man with 50 priors hit with assault charges then released just 2 days later

A man that has been arrested over 50 different times in Charlotte, North Carolina has just been released from custody—again. He posted bond after he was charged with assaulting a woman, along with other charges. The revelation comes as there has been increased scrutiny of different locales around the country that allow for repeat offenders to be allowed to roam free after they commit more crimes.

Detabian Fortenberry, 31, was arrested on November 14 and charged with assaulting a woman, possessing a stolen vehicle, communicating threats, driving with a suspended license, speeding, reckless driving to endanger, as well as probation violations. In total, he posted a bond of $31,500 and was allowed to be released, according to his latest case on Arrest.org.

Two days after being detained, he was released, according to jail records. In 2025 alone, he has been arrested at least five times, for reckless driving to endanger, driving without a license, assaulting a woman, and several others.

The police union in Charlotte, earlier this year, accused the city government of allowing repeat criminals to roam free without consequence. The rebuke came in response to the murder of Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska on a Charlotte light rail train.

“This poor young girl was killed because of failures in a system designed to protect her. It never should have happened,” the group wrote. “While we’ve been calling for change for years now, our ‘leaders’ finally care.”

The release of Fortenberry follows a similar pattern that has been seen, where repeat violent offenders are often released after posting bail, and are allowed to out on bail only to offend again. 

In Washington State, a pedophile convicted of raping a 9-month-old baby was arrested five different times in the span of three months last year on charges including assault, domestic violence, criminal trespassing, as well as violating a court order.