Boone police charged Jesse Colton Grimes, 17, of Sugar Grove, with several felonious child sex abuse charges Thursday, according to a news release from the Police Department.
Grimes is accused of extortion via sexting and sending sexual explicit images by an electronic device involving a minor to a Boone Police Department school resource officer.
Boone police and Watauga County school system officials said Grimes targeted children as young as 12 years old.
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Officials said an investigation into digital devices that has spanned across three states showed Grimes developed a predatory pattern of behavior, according to the news release.
He was charged with felonious first-degree sexual exploitation of a minor, felonious second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor, felonious third-degree sexual exploitation of a minor and felonious extortion.
Grimes was placed in the Watauga County Detention Center and his bond was set at $325,000. He is scheduled to be in court on Dec. 18.
“Often times we see sexual predators initiate innocent contact with our children to build trust,” said Lt. Chris Hatton, Boone Police Department Criminal Investigations commander. “They will learn our children’s weaknesses until they can compromise them and get them to send explicit images. Once that occurs, they will blackmail our children by threatening to send these images to friends, classmates and family. They may even attempt to get a child to meet them in person.”
This investigation is ongoing with the possibility of additional charges. There is a possibility of additional victims and police encourage parents to speak with their children about anyone who has contacted them or befriended them.
Other agencies involved in the investigation include the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, the Watauga County Sheriff’s Office the Watauga County District Attorney’s Office and various out-of-state law enforcement agencies.
