This week the Catawba County Sheriff’s Office initiated Operation Catawba Net.
Investigators worked alongside state, local, and federal partners to locate and arrest child predators who unknowingly chatted with undercover officers through social media platforms, then drove to an agreed upon location with the intention, as evidence shows, to have sex with a child.
This three-day operation led to 10 arrests and dozens of felony charges, with more charges expected.
Arrested were:
Carroll Randol Woodie Jr, 61 of Hickory, NC
William Patrick Abernathy, 56 of Newton, NC
George Eleftheriadis, 51 of Marion, NC
Robert Gaspare Micciulla, 58 of Valdese, NC
Douglas Peter Hess, 72 of Conover, NC
Ronay Roblero Bartolon, 44 of Conover, NC
George Wriston Payne, 59 of Charlotte, NC
Kim Harlan Harris, 70 of Lincolnton, NC
Thomas Davonne Ellerbe, 26 of Morrisville, NC
Justin Dean Akers, 41 of Newport VA
Bond for the subjects range from $200,00 to $400,000