Former Kinston fire captain, reserve deputy sentenced to 15 years for child porn

Thomas Andrew Taylor, 53, of Grifton, pleaded guilty to receiving child pornography. He also received 15 years probation following his release.

On three different occasions in 2012 and 2013, investigators in Philadelphia, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and Facebook identified Taylor as someone who posted pornographic images of children online, federal prosecutors said.

When Lenoir County investigators served a search warrant at Taylor’s home in May 2013, he admitted to using his laptop to trade child porn pictures, prosecutors said.

“On the way to the interview, Taylor attempted to destroy evidence by throwing a laptop into a creek off Highway 58 North in Kinston,” prosecutors said in a statement. “However, the computer was recovered and was processed for evidence.”

Investigators found 334 images and 34 videos of child pornography on the laptop, prosecutors said.