FOUR AREA MEN ARRESTED FOR SENDING PORNOGRAPHIC IMAGES BY CELL PHONE TO UNDERAGE FEMALE

Adam Wilkins

Chad Phillips

Dillon Burnette

Jonathan Whitemore

Murphy, NC— In a cooperative investigation the Graham County Sheriff’s Office and the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office were able to identify and arrest four local men that had been sending lewd pictures to an underage female by cellular phone.

            Graham County Sheriff’s Office investigators received a call from a mother that a Graham County resident was sending lewd pictures to an underage female in Cherokee County. Graham County Sheriff’s Office investigators contacted Cherokee County Sheriff’s investigators and a joint investigation was undertaken. Additional information uncovered during the investigation that at least two of the adult males had actually met with the underage female in person at least one time and sexually assaulted her.

The following individuals were identified and charged as follows: Dillon Kyle Burnette a 18 year old Andrews North Carolina resident Disseminating Pornographic Material to a Person under 16 years of age,  Chad Clayton Phillips a 22 year old Robbinsville North Carolina resident Disseminating Pornographic Material to a Person under 16 years of age and Indecent Liberties with a Child, Jonathan Paul Whitmore, a 22 year old Marble North Carolina resident Indecent Liberties with a Child, Solicit Child by Computer, and Disseminating Pornographic Material to a Person under 16 years of age, and Adam Emory Wilkins a 21 year old Culberson North Carolina resident Indecent Liberties with a Child and Soliciting a Child by Computer. Additional charges are anticipated in this case.

            This case is a continuing effort of Operation Western Shield which is a cooperative effort by Western North Carolina law enforcement agencies and the North Carolina Internet Crimes Against Children’s Task Force to combat child exploitation crimes and ensure compliance with the North Carolina Sex Offender registration laws as well as the Jacob Wetterling Crimes Against Children and Sexually Violent Offender Registration Act. The Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office is a member of the North Carolina Internet Crimes Against Children’s Task Force.

            All four individuals have posted bond and have a court date for early February 2011.