Hickory man sentenced to prison for sexual exploitation of minor

Shawn Curtis Fox, 30, of Hickory, has been sentenced to six to 23 years in prison after pleading guilty to three counts of second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor, the district attorney’s office announced Tuesday.

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He approached a 13-year-old girl between November 1, 2023 and April 20, 2024, the Public Prosecution Service said in the press release.

A predatory watchdog agency reported him to the Catawba County Sheriff’s Office. The agency provided text messages, videos and images linking him to the victim.

Detectives questioned Fox and he allowed them to search his cell phone, which contained more images of child pornography, depicting victims ages 1, 3 and 13.

Fox, who was already a registered sex offender due to a prior felony conviction in Caswell County, must now register for life.

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