MCDOWELL COUNTY, N.C. (WSPA) – The McDowell County Sheriff’s Office said four people have been arrested in a sting operation targeting alleged online child predators.
The McDowell County Sheriff’s Office, in partnership with the Cabarrus County Sheriff’s Office, executed a three-day undercover operation.
Four people were arrested and charged in McDowell County:
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20-year-old Justin Bryan Butler of China Grove – solicitation of a child by computer/appear
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50-year-old Richard Thomas Culhane of Forest City – solicitation of a child by computer/appear, carrying a concealed gun
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58-year-old William Cody Beadle, Jr., of Marion – solicitation of a child by computer
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39-year-old Terron Juandre Michaux of Lenoir – solicitation of a child by computer/appear
The sheriff’s office said the charges stem from people within and outside the county who intended to travel to the county to meet with underage juveniles to commit sexual acts.
Four other suspects from outside McDowell County are also facing charges.
Deputies said, during one arrest, investigators located a gun concealed on the suspect that he had brought with him to what the suspect believed would be an encounter with a child.
“While we have no way of knowing what his ultimate intentions were, we do know what was going on in his mind based on the extremely inappropriate conversations this monster, who is a grown adult, was having with what he thought was an underage female,” said McDowell County Sheriff Ricky T. Buchanan. “And let me be clear – If you’re engaging in inappropriate conversations with children online, you can expect to be meeting us soon. These types of operations will continue in McDowell County. We will find you and you will be held accountable.”
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