Michael Anthony Ingram of Durham surrendered to the SBI Friday morning. Ingram, age 38, previously coached soccer in the /*Chapel Hill*/ and /*Durham*/ areas.
"Our SBI Computer Crimes Unit is online every day, working to protect our children," said Attorney General /*Roy Cooper*/.
The SBI began investigating Ingram when his name came up as a person of interest in an unrelated investigation. Ingram consented to a search of his home computers and forensic examination revealed image and video files described as /*child pornography*/.
The images appear to have been downloaded from the /*Internet*/ and do not appear to have been produced by Ingram or to involve any children or students with whom he worked.
Ingram faces seven felony counts of second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor for possession of child pornography and seven felony counts of third-degree sexual exploitation of a minor for possession of child pornography. The charges against Ingram are being prosecuted by the Durham District Attorney's Office.
Friday's arrest follows the arrest late Thursday of Jason Garant Perkins of Morrisville on ten felony counts of second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor for possession of child pornography.
Perkins, age 38, is a former teacher at Woods Charter School in Chapel Hill and was employed previously by Wake County Public Schools, Cumberland County Public Schools, and Carteret County Public Schools.
/*SBI*/ agents arrested Perkins in Wake County following an undercover operation conducted by the SBI Computer Crimes Unit. During the investigation, Perkins gave consent for the SBI to examine his laptop computer on which agents found multiple images and videos described as child pornography. The charges against Ingram are being prosecuted by the Wake County District Attorney's Office.
"We need to continue to add more computer crimes experts who have the technological know-how to track down criminals," said Cooper.
Cooper plans to ask legislators to fund two additional agents for the SBI Computer Crimes Unit, which currently includes 12 agents with law enforcement and computer expertise. He is also pushing for tougher laws against child pornography.
