An Aberdeen man is facing multiple felony charges following an investigation into the alleged sexual exploitation of a minor, according to Moore County Sheriff Ronnie Fields.
The investigation began after the Sheriff’s Office received a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. That information led forensic specialists to identify 62-year-old Joseph Robert Beckley of Aberdeen as a suspect, the Sheriff says.
On Tuesday, investigators with the Moore County Sheriff’s Office arrested Beckley with assistance from the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation’s Computer Crimes Unit.
Beckley is charged with four counts of felony second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor and four counts of felony third-degree sexual exploitation of a minor.
He was taken to the Moore County Detention Center under a $125,000 secured bond and is scheduled to appear in Moore County District Court on November 13.
Any person facing charges is innocent in the eyes of the law until proven guilty in court.
A Moore County native who has spent more than 20 years telling stories across North Carolina and beyond. He’s worked with CNN, WRAL, and CBS 17, and now serves as a Video Journalist for ABC11. Patrick has a passion for breaking news and has earned multiple awards for his coverage. He’s also a certified NWS SKYWARN Storm Spotter and was among the first news videographers in the state to become an FAA-certified drone pilot.
