Gaston County fugitive wanted for crimes against children arrested in Florida

GASTON COUNTY, N.C. — The United States Marshal’s Service says a fugitive from Gaston County wanted for child sex crimes has been arrested in Florida.

According to a release from the Santa Rosa Sheriff’s Office, deputies arrested Leason Kington III at a home in Milton, Florida, on Tuesday. The Gaston County Police Department wanted Kington on twenty felony counts of third-degree sexual exploitation of a minor and 18 felony counts of second-degree exploitation of a child.

Deputies then took Kington to the Santa Rosa County Jail, where he is being held without bond and waiting for extradition back to Gaston County.

Officers say Kington’s charges came from a report of child sexual abuse that was investigated by detectives with the GPD.

He then left the state before the investigation was finished and left behind electronics that were taken and searched by law enforcement. Police say they found several images and videos of child pornography on the devices.

This is a developing story; check back at wsoctv.com for updates.

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