A new WRAL Investigates report published in June 2026 revealed a staggering statistic: online child exploitation reports in North Carolina have increased by more than 1,100% since 2019. According to data from the State Bureau of Investigation, CyberTips received from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children rose from an average of 411 per year in 2019 to 4,382 in 2025—with 2026 on pace to surpass even that record. In the first quarter of 2026 alone, the SBI received 12,169 CyberTips.
This explosive growth has enormous consequences—not only for child safety and agencies struggling to keep pace, but for individuals who find themselves accused of these serious offenses. As investigations proliferate and pressure mounts on under-resourced agencies to close cases, the risk of overreach, wrongful accusations, and procedural shortcuts increases. Anyone facing a charge in this area needs experienced, aggressive legal representation from the outset.
The Scale of the Problem—and the Pressure on Law Enforcement
The WRAL investigation found that North Carolina law enforcement agencies have not seen anywhere near a commensurate increase in staffing or funding. The SBI’s NC Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force has grown to 18 sworn investigators statewide, supported by five intelligence analysts—but two of those analyst positions are currently frozen due to lack of funding. The federal ICAC grant that funds the state-level task force grew from about $450,000 in 2016 to just over $800,000 in 2025, which sounds significant until you measure it against a caseload that has grown by over 1,100%.
Smaller agencies across the state face even steeper challenges. Investigators have described paying hundreds of thousands of dollars annually in software licensing just to analyze digital evidence—costs many departments cannot afford. The result is a system under severe strain, where investigators are handling more cases with fewer resources. When agencies are overwhelmed, corners can get cut, evidence can be mishandled, and investigative timelines can collapse. These are precisely the conditions in which innocent people get caught up in investigations and in which procedural violations can invalidate otherwise legitimate cases.
Who Gets Charged—and Why the Profile Has Changed
Kevin Roughton, the commander of the NC ICAC Task Force with the SBI, told WRAL that the profile of people being investigated has changed dramatically. Where investigators once pursued a narrower demographic, they now see suspects across all age groups, races, educational backgrounds, and socioeconomic statuses. Grooming is occurring across platforms—from social media to gaming environments like Roblox—and cases frequently involve multiple alleged victims across multiple platforms.
This broadening of the accused population means that people with no prior criminal history and no criminal intent are increasingly finding themselves targeted by ICAC investigations. Misidentification, misattributed IP addresses, shared devices, and errors in digital forensics are real risks. The technical complexity of these investigations—involving encrypted apps, gaming platforms, and multi-jurisdictional digital footprints—creates significant opportunities for investigative error.
At The Chetson Firm, we have represented clients facing child exploitation and child pornography charges in both state and federal court. These cases are among the most serious in the criminal justice system. They carry significant mandatory minimums at the federal level, lifetime sex offender registration requirements, and the kind of social stigma that can permanently alter a person’s life. The stakes demand that your defense be handled by someone with deep experience in digital evidence, constitutional challenges, and the specific procedural rules governing these investigations.
Federal vs. State Charges in Child Exploitation Cases
Child exploitation charges in North Carolina are prosecuted at both the state and federal level, and the distinction matters enormously. Federal charges under 18 U.S.C. § 2252 carry mandatory minimum sentences of five to ten years for a first offense, escalating quickly with prior convictions or aggravating factors. State charges under N.C.G.S. § 14-190.17 also carry serious penalties, including felony convictions and sex offender registration. In many cases, federal and state authorities coordinate from the outset, sharing CyberTip data, digital forensic analysis, and undercover operations. Our post on recent changes to the federal sentencing guidelines provides important context for anyone navigating the federal system.
The Importance of Early Intervention
One point the WRAL report makes implicitly is that these investigations often begin long before an arrest. For a person who believes they may be under investigation, early intervention means contacting a criminal defense attorney immediately—before charges are filed, before a search warrant is executed, and before any statements are made to investigators.
Exercising your right to remain silent and your right to counsel are not signs of guilt. They are the most important steps you can take. Investigators are trained to gather statements and build cases; your attorney’s job is to ensure the investigation proceeds constitutionally. Our discussion of Fourth Amendment protections in digital investigations illustrates how critical constitutional scrutiny can be in these cases.
Defending Against Child Exploitation Charges in North Carolina
Effective defense in these cases requires a thorough review of how the investigation was conducted, how digital evidence was obtained and preserved, whether search warrants were properly supported, and whether any undercover operations complied with legal requirements. It also requires independent digital forensic analysis—often the most important tool in uncovering errors or exculpatory evidence that the government’s own analysis missed.
Damon Chetson is a Board Certified Specialist in State and Federal Criminal Law—one of fewer than 100 attorneys in North Carolina to hold that designation. He has represented clients in serious sex offense and child exploitation matters in both state and federal court, including before the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals. If you or someone you know is under investigation or has been charged with a child exploitation offense in North Carolina, contact The Chetson Firm at 919-352-9411 or visit us at 19 W. Hargett St., Suite 400, Raleigh, NC 27601. The earlier you act, the more options you have.