A North Carolina sheriff is resigning the job he's held for one tumultuous year after prosecutors dropped felony obstruction charges and county officials agreed to pay him $71,000.

Ashe County Sheriff Terry Buchanan faced a hearing Monday to permanently remove him from office pending prosecution. Buchanan said Tuesday the money represents his salary for the rest of this year and allows him to recover from surgery.

Prosecutors charged Buchanan and sought his removal after deputies interrogated county workers. They were working to fulfill Charlotte television station WBTV's public records request for emails and text messages clarifying why Buchanan was picked.

Buchanan was appointed as sheriff after his predecessor retired soon after a deputy with a reality-TV resume was charged with murder for his second deadly shooting within three years.