GASTON COUNTY, N.C. — Malikai Lee Hampton, 21, of Mount Holly, was arrested yesterday by the Gaston County Police Fugitive Apprehension Suspect Tracking team on multiple sexual exploitation charges.
Hampton faces seven counts of second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor and seven counts of third-degree sexual exploitation of a minor. He is being held at the Gaston County Jail on a $150,000 secured bond.
The investigation into the charges involved joint efforts across law enforcement agencies, including the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children and Internet Crimes Against Children task force partners.
Gaston County Police Chief Stephen Zill emphasized the importance of interagency coordination in child exploitation cases following the arrest.
“Crimes involving the exploitation of children are among the most important cases our detectives investigate and our message to those who prey on children is clear: we will identify you, we will find you and we will hold you accountable,” Zill said. “I am proud of the relentless work of our investigators and the strong partnerships we have with the SBI, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children and our fellow ICAC partners. This collaboration is critical to bringing offenders to justice, protecting children and preventing further victimization.”