A Moore County man was arrested Tuesday following a child sexual exploitation investigation, according to Sheriff Ronnie Fields.
On August 12, the Moore County Sheriff’s Office Forensic Specialists, assisted by the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation Cyber Crimes Unit, executed a search warrant at a home on Jolinda Road in Vass. The search followed a cyber tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
Investigators arrested 47-year-old Craig Richard May of Vass. He was charged with five counts of felony second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor and five counts of felony third-degree sexual exploitation of a minor.
May was taken to the Moore County Detention Center under a $500,000 secured bond. His first court appearance is set for Sept. 11 in Moore County District Court.
The Moore County Sheriff’s Office is part of the North Carolina Internet Crimes Against Children Taskforce, which works to prevent and investigate child exploitation and abuse.
All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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.
