Local authorities report arrest involving multiple counts of second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor
By Coastal Carolina News Staff Writer
LELAND, NC — A 54-year-old Leland resident was arrested and charged Thursday with six felony counts of second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor, according to court records filed in Brunswick County.
William Bartley Smith was taken into custody on July 2, 2026, following the issuance of an arrest warrant. The charges, which involve the distribution and receipt of prohibited material, are classified as a “violent offense” under North Carolina General Statute § 15A-531(9).
Smith is currently being held at the Brunswick County Detention Center. His first appearance in District Court is scheduled for July 6, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. at the Brunswick County Courthouse in Courtroom 001.
The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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