Sanford man racks up hundreds of violations of domestic violence protection order from prison

A Sanford man faces 248 counts of violating a domestic violence protection order – all while serving a prison sentence.

The Chatham County Sheriff’s Office said Jeremy Keith Branch, 45, repeatedly called a person who had an active protection order against him. The calls were made from Hoke Correctional Institution, where Branch is serving time for domestic violence-related acts committed against the same person, authorities said.

Branch was convicted last October of assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill and was sentenced to 50 months in prison, according to state Department of Public Safety records.

He is scheduled to appear in Chatham County District Court in Pittsboro on Aug. 7.