Iredell County Pastor Pleads Guilty To Child Porn Charges

An Iredell County pastor has been sentenced to four years in prison after entering a guilty plea on child pornography charges. 66-year-old Tony Ernest Bunton of Statesville, pleaded guilty Monday in Iredell County Superior Court to two counts of second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor.

By pleading guilty, Bunton admitted that he distributed, transported, exhibited, received, sold, purchased, exchanged, or solicited material that contains a visual representation of a minor engaged in sexual activity. Judge William Wood sentenced Bunton to two consecutive sentences of 24 months in prison. He will have to register as a sex offender after he is released.

The defendant was arrested on September 1, 2021. Officers with the Sheriff’s Special Victims Unit received a cyber-tip from the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation regarding a person who was allegedly in possession of child pornography. This was confirmed after detectives reviewed and verified the information.

A search warrant for Bunton’s residence was issued. Detectives and Deputies executed the search warrant today. Several electronic devices and other evidence were seized. Bunton was taken into custody at the residence and was charged with four counts of third-degree sexual exploitation of a minor.

A month after the initial charges were filed, more counts were added. After completing a forensic examination of the computers, detectives filed 30 additional felony charges connected to the possession of child pornography.

Story: Rob Eastwood-WHKY