An undercover operation on social media by the Alamance County sheriff’s office has netted the arrest of a 19-year-old Durham man who had corresponded with a person who thought was a minor, but was, in actuality, an undercover agent.
The process began on Monday, July 18, 2022, when the Alamance County Sheriff’s Office Human Exploitation Team began an undercover operation on social media in an attempt to locate an individual who sought to exploit children. An undercover officer was messaged by another user, later identified as Christopher John Matthews, white, male, 19, of 1021 Lemon Drive, Durham.
The communications became sexual with Matthews transmitting two sexually explicit pictures. The messaging continued for several days.
Matthews drove to Alamance County on Thursday, July 21, 2022 to meet at a predetermined location for the purpose of engaging in sexual activity with a minor.
Matthews was arrested by the sheriff’s office investigators and transported to the Alamance County Detention Center.
Matthews has been charged with two counts of felony disseminating harmful materials and one felony count of soliciting a minor by computer to commit a sex act.
He was put under a $50,000 secured bond.
