Local men among 16 arrested across North Carolina for child sex crimes: SBI

Ciara Lankford
·3 min read
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GASTON COUNTY, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — Sixteen people have been arrested across North Carolina accused of soliciting, sexually exploiting, or abusing children, the NC SBI announced.

Gaston County authorities said the multiple arrests are part of Operation Winter Guardian which included 44 local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies.

Operation Winter Guardian was a two-part initiative in January conducted by the North Carolina Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.

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Authorities said Phase 1 of the operation consisted of investigators acting in an undercover capacity online and participating in chats with those seeking to meet children for sexual activity.

Some of those individuals then traveled to Gaston County to meet the person they believed to be a child to engage in those sex acts, authorities explained.

Phase 2 of the operation involved investigators executing search warrants at several locations throughout North Carolina that were identified as “distribution points” where child sexual exploitation images were shared.

“Protecting the children of our community is my highest priority,” Gaston County Police Chief Stephen Zill said in a released statement. “I take immense pride in the tireless work of our detectives and the collaborative partnerships developed with local police, county, state, and federal agencies to pursue individuals who seek to take advantage of our children.”

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Through these investigations, authorities said at least five children were identified and safeguarded from ongoing sexual abuse.

The following individuals have been arrested. Some are local to our area:

  • Gabriel John Yager, 23, Apex, NC: 7 counts of second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor

  • Hunter Ray Fesperman, 21, Hertford, NC: 4 counts of second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor

  • Larry Ray Haskins, 34, Lenoir, NC: Second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor

  • Jubonte Stevenson, 36, New Bern, NC: First-degree statutory sex offense

  • Jonathan Paul Swiney, 43, Asheboro, NC: Second-degree child sexual exploitation of a minor

  • Scott Thomas Wallace, 54, Wilmington, NC: 3 counts of third-degree sexual exploitation of a minor

  • Johnathan Cody McCall, 36, Swansboro, NC: 10 counts of second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor

  • Jamie Tucker, 40, Louisburg, NC: 6 counts of second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor two counts of secret peeping, manufacture schedule VI, PWISO marijuana, and maintaining vehicle/dwelling/place

  • Nicholas Tyler Banks, 22, Burnsville, NC: Second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor, failure to inform of new online identifier and third-degree sexual exploitation of a minor

  • Darryl Edwin Foley, 34, Garner, NC: 7 counts of first-degree sexual exploitation of a minor, 10 counts of second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor, 3 counts of statutory sex offense with a child by an adult, and 2 counts of first-degree statutory rape

  • Carmen Delia Foley, 31, Garner, NC: 13 counts of first-degree sexual exploitation of a minor, 2 counts of statutory sexual offense with a child by an adult, and 2 counts of aid and abetting first-degree statutory rape

  • Lance Skipper, 40, Zebulon, NC: Second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor

  • Barry Glenn Swinson, 74, Randleman, NC: Indecent liberties, solicitation of a child by computer for sex act

  • David Anthony Roux, 35, Charlotte, NC: Indecent liberties

  • Neal David Wilfong, 78, Cleveland, NC: Indecent liberties

  • Zachary Dean Williams, 27, Wadesboro, NC: Indecent liberties, solicitation of a child by computer for a sex act

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