MOYOCK, N.C. (WVEC) -- Two Moyock men are arrested in a sting operation that spanned across eight states.
The investigation focused on people who possessed or distributed child pornography.
73-year-old Richard Bell is charged with nine counts of sexually exploiting a minor. Police said Bell worked as a church Deacon and even served as the administrator for the church's daycare.
Another Moyock man, John Kieffer, is also charged with nine counts of exploiting a minor. These are all felony offenses.
All told, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation said 76 people have been arrested in the multi-state operation.
The operation involved more than 200 law enforcement agencies and took four months of planning, and included investigators in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia.
Those arrested ranged in age from 17 to 73 and included a postal worker, mechanic, and a magician.
In North Carolina, the SBI said eight children were rescued or removed from abusive situations. Several children in other states were also identified as victims or rescued.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
► Make it easy to keep up to date with more stories like this. Download the 13News Now App.