STATESVILLE, N.C. — Statesville resident Matthew Scott Sells, 38, was arrested Sunday on 10 counts of second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor. The charges follow an investigation by the Iredell County Sheriff’s Office into child sexual abuse material.
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The investigation began Jan. 10 after the Iredell County Sheriff’s Office received a CyberTip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Detective E. Lane of the Special Victims Unit led the probe, identifying Sells as the primary suspect.
Detective Lane obtained search warrants for Sells’ online email accounts to gather evidence. These initial searches recovered several files of child sexual abuse material. Lane later interviewed Sells at his residence on Old Mountain Road in Statesville. During that interview, Sells confessed to the crimes.
Following the confession, investigators obtained further search warrants for electronic devices belonging to Sells. A forensic analysis of these devices revealed thousands of additional digital files.
Sheriff Darren Campbell detailed the extent of the findings.
“Additional search warrants were issued for electronic devices belonging to Sells, which revealed thousands more digital files of child pornography,” Campbell said.
Sells was arrested on Sunday and transported to the Iredell County Detention Center. Magistrate Russell issued a $250,000 secured bond for the Statesville man.
The investigation into the digital files is currently ongoing. Sheriff Campbell stated that additional charges are pending further investigation.
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