A Burke County Public School employee, who resigned Monday, has been arrested on two counts of 2nd degree Exploitation of Minors. On Friday, the Burke County Sheriff's Office was notified by the SBI regarding information including between what was believed to be a minor child and an adult. The subsequent information led law enforcement to Michael Lowman of Valdese. Probable cause was developed to seize Lowman's cellular device. A polygraph with Lowman disclosed that he had downloaded and uploaded child pornography with his cellular device. Lowman was given a secured bond of $250,000.

Investigators with the Caldwell County Sheriff's Office are looking for a missing person. Caitlin Briana Taylor, 25, was last seen August 7th in the Connelly Springs area of Caldwell County. Taylor is described as a white female, 5' 7", weighing about 120 pounds. If you have anyone information on the whereabouts of Taylor, please call Detective Minor at 759-1554 or Crime Stoppers at 758-8300.

A Conover man will serve at least 11 years in prison after pleading guilty to two counts of trafficking opium/heroin by possession during Burke County Superior Court last Wednesday. Devin Andrew Yancey, 24, was given an active prison term off 11 to 15 years and assessed a mandatory fine of $50,000.

A Morganton man was given an active prison term of 33 to 100 months following his guilty plea to felony secret peeping and second-degree exploitation of a minor during Burke County Superior Court on September 12th. Officers with the Burke County Sheriff's Office responded to a residence in reference to the defendant, James Ward Moody, 55, secretly videotaping a 12-year-old girl while she was in the shower. The victim told officers that when she got out of the shower a cell phone was set up on a shelf recording her.