JOHNSTON COUNTY — A Johnston County man was arrested Thursday morning following a multi-agency investigation into alleged online child exploitation.
Austin Barrett Crews, 37, of 224 Driver Road in Middlesex—just off NC Highway 39 in northern Johnston County—is facing multiple felony charges.
The Johnston County Sheriff’s Office launched its investigation after receiving a tip from the Owatonna Police Department in Minnesota. An undercover officer there, posing online as a parent, was allegedly contacted by Crews during a child predator sting operation.
Investigators say Crews believed he was communicating with the parent of an 8-year-old girl and attempted to arrange a meeting with the juvenile.
While investigating the Minnesota tip, Johnston County detectives received additional, unrelated tips from the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force Program, leading to further allegations.
Warrants were obtained for Crews’ arrest, along with a search warrant for his residence at 224 Driver Road.
On Thursday morning, Crews reportedly left home before officers arrived. He was arrested later that day at his place of employment in Wake County. During the arrest, deputies reportedly found two grams of suspected methamphetamine in his possession.
A search of his residence resulted in the reported seizure of multiple electronic storage and cellular devices, as well as approximately two pounds of suspected marijuana.
Crews was living at the address with an adult female and two small children.
“Use of the internet has become a daily occurrence for most individuals. Our children use the internet for educational applications beginning at an early age. It sickens me when adult monsters use the internet to target our children, often hiding behind fake identities,” said Johnston County Sheriff Steve Bizzell. “Individuals who seek out, solicit, and entice our children for the selfish intent to commit deplorable sex acts and assaults deserve the full time and attention of law enforcement. Thankfully, this predator was identified and arrested before he could victimize a local child. This recent arrest is the result of multiple law enforcement agencies from local, state, and out-of-state investigators working together to help protect and safeguard our children.”
Crews is charged with five counts of second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor and one count of soliciting a child by computer. He is being held under a $340,000 secured bond at the Johnston County Detention Center.
Authorities say additional charges are likely.
The investigation involved the Johnston County Sheriff’s Office, North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, and the Owatonna Police Department in Minnesota.
