Doctor arrested for sexual contact under pretext of medical treatment

CHEROKEE COUNTY, NC. – A local doctor has been arrested and charged with four counts of felony sexual contact in Cherokee County.

Thomas Vann Clayton, the chief of staff at Erlanger Western Carolina Hospital, was charged as the result of a ‘lengthy investigation’ that began last year.

According to a press release from Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office, Investigators arrested Clayton, 66, at his Andrews residence on the afternoon of March 3, 2023.

Dr. Clayton is charged with four counts of Sexual Contact or Penetration Under Pretext of Medical Treatment and his bond has been set at $50,000.

Clayton has been suspended from his role at Western Carolina Hospital in the wake of his arrest.

The Sheriff’s Office is looking into Clayton to see if he has committed similar crimes and has asked that if you have any information that may assist in the investigation, please contact the tip line at 828-837-1344 or visit the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office at 577 Regal St., Murphy, NC, and ask for an Investigator.

Emma Dunn