Orange County Sheriff’s Office arrested a Chapel Hill resident and registered sex offender on multiple charges of child exploitation on Monday.

A release from the office on Tuesday said authorities arrested Larry Dwayne Hougom, 49, of New Hope Church Road, Chapel Hill, on 21 counts of third degree sexual exploitation of a minor. It said additional charges against him may be forthcoming because of his failure to register his online identifiers.

Chief Deputy Jamison Sykes said in the release there are three degrees of child exploitation.

“In broad terms,” said Sykes, “first degree exploitation of a minor involves producing the material or images. Second degree refers to disseminating or receiving the material, and third degree exploitation of a minor involves possessing it. Obviously, all levels of this crime involve significant harm to the victim, and the victimization continues every time this material is viewed or transmitted to another person.”

The release said The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received a cyber tip report last September and conducted an initial review before assigning the case to the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation. After further assessment, the bureau assigned the case to the Orange County Sheriff’s Office.

According to authorities, Orange County investigators served a search warrant on Hougom in late October. After reviewing evidence seized from 26 electronic items including computers, cameras, and storage devices, investigators verified possession of sexually graphic images involving minors.

Hougom has been a registered sex offender since December 2009 when he was convicted of two counts of second degree rape.

The release said Hougom turned himself in on Monday afternoon and was assigned a $5,000 secured bond. His first court appearance is set for Thursday, February 6 at 2 pm.

Orange County Sheriff’s Office said Ashley Woodlief is the lead investigator on the case. Anyone with information is asked to call her at (919) 245-2909.

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