A Carthage man is behind bars under a $500,000 secured bond facing seven sex charges involving a minor.
Moore County Sheriff Ronnie Fields announced Ryan Smith, 27, was arrested Thursday.
“On November 24th, 2020 the Moore County Sheriff’s Office, after receiving information from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, initiated an investigation into a minor disseminating photographs of a sexual nature,” said Fields in a news advisory on Friday.
It was discovered during an investigation the minor was “also involved in a sexual relationship” with Smith.
The suspect is in Moore County Detention Center and charged with two counts of felony statutory rape of a child, four counts of felony statutory sexual offense with a child, and one count of indecent liberties with a child.
According to information from the detention center, the alleged crimes occurred on Oct. 1 and Nov. 9.
Smith has a Dec. 16 court date and is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
