BRUNSWICK COUNTY — A 65-year-old Shallotte man and registered sex offender will spend more than a decade in federal prison following an investigation into child sexual abuse material.
Scott Anthony Lewis was sentenced to 11 years in prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release, for receipt of child sexual abuse material according to an announcement from U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle.
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The investigation into Lewis was sparked by a cyber tip from Dropbox — an automated report sent when the platform’s security systems detect illegal content. It was reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
Homeland Security agents and the Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office traced the IP address from the illegal uploads back to Lewis’ residence. During the execution of a search warrant, law enforcement seized digital devices containing the illicit material.
“These child predators hurt our children, causing lifelong damage to our communities,” Boyle said in a press release. “This case highlights the critical partnership between federal, state, and local agencies in protecting children.”
Court documents reveal that Lewis, a U.S. Navy veteran and self-employed licensed electrician, was already on supervised probation for an incest charge at the time of his arrest. Records further indicate Lewis downloaded some of the materials while he was out on bond for the incest case, to which he later pleaded guilty.
The prosecution was led by Assistant U.S. Attorney Charity Wilson as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide Department of Justice initiative launched in 2006 to marshal federal and local resources against online child exploitation.
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