North Carolina man faces 56 counts of child pornography

Phillip Stephen Stallings was charged with 56 counts of sexual exploitation of a minor after he was arrested Wednesday.

Credit: Durham County Sheriff's Office

Credit: Durham County Sheriff's Office

Phillip Stephen Stallings was charged with 56 counts of sexual exploitation of a minor after he was arrested Wednesday.

A North Carolina man was charged with 56 counts of sexual exploitation of a minor Wednesday after investigators said the man had downloaded child pornography, the News & Observer reported.

Phillip Stephen Stallings, 40, of Durham, was charged with 28 counts of second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor and 28 counts of third-degree sexual exploitation of a minor, according to WTVD.

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A joint investigation by the Durham County Sheriff's Office and U.S. Department of Homeland Security concluded that Stallings downloaded media that involved minors engaged in sexual activities, the News & Observer reported.

"(It's) part of an investigation across the nation right now for possession of child pornography and creation of child pornography," Durham County Assistant District Attorney Kendra Montgomery-Blinn said during a court hearing Thursday morning, WRAL reported. "They had information that Mr. Stallings was sharing his materials on a social media platform."

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