By WECT Staff | October 22, 2020 at 9:06 AM EDT – Updated October 22 at 12:09 PM
COLUMBUS COUNTY, N.C. (WECT) – A Riegelwood man is accused of sending nude pictures to an 8-year-old in Washington state, according to the Columbus County Sheriff’s Office.
Alberto Leon, 29, was arrested Tuesday and charged with felony dissemination of obscene material to a minor. He was booked under a $25,000 secured bond.
Officials say that Homeland Security contacted the the Columbus County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigation Division in July to assist in an investigation.
According to the sheriff’s office, the mother of an 8-year-old girl reported that her daughter received nude photographs from a man.
“In August 2020, Columbus County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Detectives executed a search warrant for the suspect’s phone records,” the sheriff’s office said in a news release. “Criminal detectives discovered that Alberto Leon, 29, of Woodyard Road in Riegelwood, contacted the minor using social media apps. During their interactions, Leon requested photos from the minor. Leon then sent nude photos of himself to her. She did not send photos in return.
“During the interactions, the minor did tell Leon her actual age. He continued interacting with her inappropriately after discovering she was merely a child.”
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