UPDATE: Pender County man arrested for child pornography now faces child rape charges

PENDER COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — A Pender County man jailed for child pornography is now under a $1.5 million bond after an investigation led to even more charges.

On Thursday, Nicholas Wayne Moore, 39, was charged with three counts of Rape of a Child Adult Offender, three counts of First-Degree Rape of a Child, four counts of Indecent Liberties with a Child and one count of Sexual Battery.

Moore was originally arrested on August 19 following an investigation into the possession of child pornography. Investigators say search warrants at Moore’s home also revealed he was secretly recording female minors from 2018 through 2022. Detectives are still attempting to identify some of these female minors. Moore also was found in possession of hundreds of other images related to child pornography depicting children as young as one being sexually assaulted. These images are not related to children Moore has been in contact with.

During this investigation, detectives established the basis for additional charges against Moore for several other sexual offenses involving other victims.

Moore is currently being held in the Pender County Jail.

If you have any information about Nicholas Wayne Moore, contact Detectives-Sergeant Steve Clinard and Eric Short at         9910) 259-1437