A dozen Cleveland County men sentenced following child porn investigation
A dozen Cleveland County men who were arrested following an investigation into alleged child pornography have been sentenced.
Out of the 15 men who were charged in May of 2021 with various felony child sexual exploitation, 12 have been sentenced, nearly all receiving suspended sentences and probation.
Charges allege the possession or sharing of images and videos of children ranging in age from toddlers to early teens. The suspects ranged in age from 22-79.
Three men are still awaiting sentencing.
John Patrick Walker, 38, of Shelby, Nathaniel Grant Wray, 26, of Shelby and Johnathan Daniel Kuykendall, 25, of Kings Mountain, still have cases pending. All three have been charged with sexual exploitation of a minor.
The following is a list of the men, their original charges and their convictions:
Zebulon Vance Whitener, 67, homeless, six counts of third-degree sexual exploitation of a minor. Whitener is a registered sex offender. According to NCDOC he was admitted to Piedmont Correctional Institute on Oct. 17. Whitener was given a split sentence followed by probation for indecent liberties with a child from offenses.
Brian Santo Bergerson, 26, of Shelby, second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor and 3rd-degree sexual exploitation of a minor. According to the NCDOC, Bergerson was admitted to Granville Correctional on Oct. 22. His crime and length of sentence is not listed, other than it is a felony.
Jeremy Boyce Treadway, 39, of Shelby, 10 counts of second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor. According to NCDOC, the charges were consolidated, and Treadway was charged with felony second-degree exploitation of a minor. He received a suspended sentence and three years supervised probation.
Arey Matthew Morton, 24, of Grover, five counts of third-degree sexual exploitation of a minor. According to NCDOC, he received a suspended sentence and probation of 30 months.
Michael Edwin Elder, 68, of Grover, third-degree sexual exploitation of a minor. He received a suspended sentence and probation and community service.
Robert Fredrick Bronsdon, 76, of Shelby, five counts of third-degree sexual exploitation of a minor and one count of weapon of mass destruction. He was convicted of third-degree sexual exploitation of a minor with the charges consolidated. He received a sentence of 30 months probation but failed to register as a sex offender in December of 2021. He is not currently serving an active sentence, according to DOC.
Tony “TJ” James Hartman, 33, of Shelby, second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor and third-degree sexual exploitation of a minor. He was convicted of felony second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor and received a three-year suspended sentence and supervised probation.
Timothy Dewayne Montgomery, 54, of Shelby, second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor. He was convicted of one second-degree felony sexual exploitation of a minor and one third-degree sexual exploitation of minor. He received a three-year sentence and supervised probation.
Christopher Shawn James, 38, of Shelby, third-degree sexual exploitation of a minor. He pleaded guilty to second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor. He was sentenced to more than two years in prison followed by probation, along with two additional years for drug trafficking charges.
Steven Clay Bradley, 24, of Mooresboro, six counts of second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor. Some of his charges were consolidated, and he was convicted of two counts of felony second-degree sexual exploitation of minor. He received a three-year suspended sentence and supervised probation.
Christopher Keith Parton, 25, of Kings Mountain, third-degree sexual exploitation of a minor. He was convicted of felony second- and third-degree sexual exploitation of minor and received a 30 month suspended sentence and supervised probation.
Barry Marshall Jones, 79, of Kings Mountain, third-degree sexual exploitation of a minor. He was convicted of two counts of felony sexual exploitation of a minor. He received a 36-month suspended sentence and supervised probation.
This article originally appeared on The Shelby Star: Twelve men sentenced following child porn investigation
