Harnett County man charged with 10 counts related to child sex crimes

LILLINGTON, N.C. (WTVD) -- The Harnett County Sheriff's Office said Thursday that a man is behind bars after an investigation into child sexual assault allegations.

In October, Harnett County detectives assigned to the North Carolina Internet Crimes Against Children Taskforce began looking into the case based on information received from the North Carolina National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

On Nov. 3, detectives executed a search warrant at a home on Dove Trail in Sanford.

Items taken from the home were later examined by a digital forensic examiner and based on those findings, warrants were issued for John Elvin Mullens Jr., 47.

Mullens turned himself in on Thursday to investigators at the Harnett County Detention Center.

He was arrested and charged with 10 counts of second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor.

Mullens is being held on a $100,000 secured bond.