North Carolina pastor sentenced to 10 years for child sex abuse material

Ashley James Crouse, a 53-year-old former pastor from Granite Falls, North Carolina, was sentenced to 10 years in prison for possessing and receiving child sexual abuse material. His sentencing followed an investigation initiated by a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, which revealed that Crouse had uploaded such material to a Dropbox account. Law enforcement discovered over 1,200 videos and 450 images of child sexual abuse during searches of his home and church, where he admitted to downloading and viewing this material while conducting church business. Crouse also maintained a book detailing methods of child sexual abuse and utilized AI tools to create explicit content. After serving his prison term, he will be subject to a lifetime of supervised release and must register as a sex offender. The case highlights the serious legal consequences for such offenses and the ongoing efforts to combat child exploitation.