Sheriff says Harnett man ran child porn operation from Sanford home
SANFORD, N.C. (WTVD) -- The Harnett County Sheriff's Office says an investigation of a convicted sex offender has revealed he was running a child pornography production operation out of a Sanford home.
As ABC11 first reported in January, the investigation began after an alleged victim's parent spotted a disturbing Facebook message and called the sheriff's office.
Thirty-three-year-old Bailey Joe Mills was charged with first-degree rape of a child under the age of 13 and jailed under $500,000 bond.
Deputies said in January they were reviewing the evidence gathered and more charges were possible.
Now, investigators say they've learned Mills paid a 12-year-old girl for sex. The alleged victim told them she was shown homemade pornography at Mills' home that included another juvenile female in the video.
A search of Mills' home turned up video and photographic images showing multiple juveniles being sexually assaulted by adult males and an adult female. The victims in the case range in ages from 1 to 14.
Deputies say Mills told victims he was a tutor, mentor, and a baby-sitter in order to lure girls and develop a relationship with their parents. Mills allegedly offered the girls money to have sex with men he recruited through social media websites.
Mills has sex crime convictions dating back to 1997, including an arrest in 2000 where he approached an 11-year-old girl at a Raleigh flea market and touched her inappropriately.
Four other people are charged in the Sanford case:
Mills' wife - Elizabeth Holland Mills, 34, - is charged with second-degree sex exploitation of a minor and indecent liberties with a child.
Rashawn Rodriguez Drake Jackson, 20, of Sanford, is charged with first-degree sex offense with a child and felony conspiracy.
Fort Bragg soldier Sgt. 1st Class Jordan Everett Busse, 29, is charged with felony conspiracy and computer solicitation of a child. According to a report in the Fayetteville Observer, Mills set up a chat room so that Busse could talk to a 12-year-old girl.
Neighbors who spoke to ABC11 are still reeling.
"She said that there was a child molester that lived down the road from me and asked me if my son had ever played with their children," said neighbor Geraldine Errett. "Of course, I said no because I don't let my son out of my yard unless I know the people that he's playing with."
Investigators aren't saying exactly how many victims they have.
