Carson Dean Barry’s phones contained a video of an adult man sexually assaulting a female child between the ages of 2 and 4, police allege
Credit: Charleston County Sheriff’s Office
NEED TO KNOW
- Carson Dean Barry, 23, was arrested on multiple counts of child sex crimes on Sept. 10
- He was arrested after the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received a tip
- Authorities seized devices from Barry’s home, including a video of child sexual abuse material
A social media influencer was arrested on multiple counts of sexual exploitation of minors.
Carson Dean Barry, 23, was arrested on Sept. 10, South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson announced in a news release. The influencer was charged with five counts of third-degree sexual exploitation of a minor and one count of criminal solicitation of a minor.
Barry was arrested after the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received a tip. The investigators alleged Barry solicited a minor for sex and possessed digital files containing child sexual abuse material.
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Investigators seized a computer tower and two iPhones during the search of Barry’s home, according to WCSC. One of the phones allegedly contained a 12-second video of an adult man sexually assaulting a female child between the ages of 2 and 4.
The Charleston County Sheriff’s Office, Homeland Security, and members of the state’s internet crimes task force were involved in the investigation.
Authorities took Barry into custody at Charleston County Jail on Sept. 10. His total bond was set at $1 million, and he was released on Sept. 13, according to jail records obtained by PEOPLE. He was released on the condition that he make no contact with the victim by any means, verbally, electronically, or by a third party, according to court records obtained by PEOPLE.
He is scheduled to appear in court on Oct. 30. If found guilty, he could face up to 10 years in prison on each of the six counts, for a total of 60 years.
Barry is known for his social media presence, with over 423,000 TikTok followers and 148,000 on Instagram.
If you or someone you know has been a victim of sexual abuse, text “STRENGTH” to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 to be connected to a certified crisis counselor.
If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
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