Man facing child porn charges works at Charlotte law firm, police say

LINCOLN COUNTY, N.C. — A man facing child pornography charges in Lincoln County works for a Charlotte law firm, police told Channel 9 on Wednesday.

According to investigators, 51-year-old Jeffrey Churchwell, who police say works at Synergy Legal in Charlotte, connected online with a person whom he thought was an underage teenage boy.

(Churchwell)

They arranged to meet for sex at a local park, which is where police arrested Churchwell. Officers told Channel 9 that they found what appeared to be homemade child porn on his phone.

Victory Hefner brought her children to that park on Wednesday.

"It disturbs me,” she said. “It's sickening to know that our children are playing here, and that you've got individuals who are trying to make it into a sex act."

Police are still looking for clues, and said the case is disturbing, even for officers who regularly investigate such cases.

Detectives are looking for help in identifying the children, whose faces appear on the phone. They look to be about 12 years old.

"Evidence discovered in this case shows that Churchwell possessed pornographic and obscene pictures of children," said Lt. Jason Munday with the Lincolnton Police Department. "The main goal is to identify any other potential victims in an effort to provide services as needed and to develop any other potential charges towards Churchwell and any other offenders associated with this case."

Churchwell is in jail under a $250,000 bond, charged with one count of soliciting a child for an unlawful sex act by a computer and appearing to meet the child, four counts of disseminating obscene material to a minor and one count of third-degree sexual exploitation of a child -- all felony charges.

"There possibly could be numerous victims, children involved," Detective Brent Heavner said.

If anyone has information about Churchwell or any other possible victims as it relates to this case, please contact the Lincolnton Police Department at (704) 736-8900.

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