An Orange County man has been arrested and charged with 20 counts of third-degree exploitation of a minor and one count of possession of a firearm by a felon.

Officials from the Orange County Sheriff’s Office said on Thursday that a cyber tip was submitted to the North Carolina Center for Missing and Exploited Children in mid-February “regarding possible child pornography photographs.”

The subsequent investigation led to the arrest of 62-year-old Harold Dean Bowden, of Rougemont, on Wednesday.

The State Bureau of Investigation initially obtained information on the possibility of an identity and address of a potential suspect through a search warrant. The Orange County Sheriff’s Office then began working the case in late March, law enforcement officials said Thursday.

The investigation confirmed that “the content of the images was indeed child pornography” and discovered that Bowden had previously been convicted for indecent liberties with a minor.

Investigators seized computers, cell phones, tablets and compact discs through a search warrant.

“It was this review of some of the material seized that led to the twenty counts of child exploitation,” according to Thursday’s release. “Investigators are still reviewing other digital evidence collected, and additional charges are possible.”

Investigators also seized a firearm during the process, leading to the possession by a felon charge.

Bowden turned himself in on Wednesday, according to the sheriff’s office, and was held under a $68,000 secured bond. He was then released after his bond was posted by a bail agent.

Bowden made his first court appearance Thursday afternoon and is due back in court next month.

Photo via Orange County Sheriff’s Office

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