National Child Sex Abuse operation nets 205 arrests
Six of the 205 included individuals in North Carolina or former residents
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) announced the results of a nationwide crackdown on child abuse offenders in a press statement issued May 7.
The FBI's operation involved 55 field offices and resulted in 205 arrests and 115 children rescued during "Operation Restore Justice." The operation was conducted during the last week of April.
"The Department of Justice will never stop fighting to protect victims—especially child victims—and we will not rest until we hunt down, arrest, and prosecute every child predator who preys on the most vulnerable among us," said U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi. "I am grateful to the FBI and their state and local partners for their incredible work in Operation Restore Justice and have directed my prosecutors not to negotiate."
"Every child deserves to grow up free from fear and exploitation, and the FBI will continue to be relentless in our pursuit of those who exploit the most vulnerable among us," said FBI Director Kash Patel. "Operation Restore Justice proves that no predator is out of reach, and no child will be forgotten. By leveraging the strength of all our field offices and our federal, state, and local partners, we're sending a clear message: there is no place to hide for those who prey on children."
Per the press release, "parental vigilance and community outreach efforts played a critical role in bringing these offenders to justice."
Many of the cases were brought as part of Project Safe Child.
The FBI is partnered with and oversees funding grants for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children which receives and shares tips about possible child sexual exploitation received through its 24/7 hotline at 1-800-THE-LOST and on missingkids.org.
The FBI urges the public to report suspected exploitation of a child through the FBI's tip line at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324), tips.fbi.gov, or by calling your local FBI field office.
More To The Story
The FBI's Charlotte field office participated in Operation Restore Justice and there were six arrests made of individuals in North Carolina or who had at one time resided in the state as a result.
Below are the details of the arrests provided by the Charlotte FBI press release.
I've added any additional information I could locate about these individuals, which is displayed in italics.
John Matthew Miller, of Wilmington, 35, is charged with sex trafficking of a minor; enticing a minor to engage in illegal sexual conduct; and producing, distributing, receiving, and possessing child sexual abuse material. Miller was previously convicted of sexual battery and was a registered sex offender at the time of the offense. Miller faces at least 25 years and up to life in prison if convicted on all counts.
On Jan. 24 of this year, the Lee County Sheriff issued a statement that on Jan. 23, 2025, Miller was arrested in Alabama for "Adult Sex Offender in prohibited residence location."
Miller is a registered sex offender, convicted in 1988 when he was 18 of sexual battery and felony restraint of a minor.
Jesse Lonzo Teal, of Bolivia, 72, also known as “Lonnie” and “Mark,” is charged with sex trafficking of a minor, enticing a minor to engage in illegal sexual conduct, producing child sexual abuse material, and using the internet to promote an illegal prostitution business enterprise. He faces at least ten years and up to life imprisonment if convicted on all counts.
14 past court cases in New Hanover County were located in eCourts for Teal which included violating a protective order, motor vehicle violations, passing bad checks, promoting prostitution, promoting prostitution of a minor, and multiple counts of first and third degree exploitation of a minor.
One of the cases against Teal involving multiple child exploitation and prostitution charges was initially dismissed but was reinstated on April 30, 2025.
NC Dept. of Public Safety records show convictions for violation of a protective order and a financial crime.
Teal William Justin Lewis, of Louisburg, 54, is charged with distributing child sexual abuse material and possessing child sexual abuse material. He faces at least five years in federal prison and up to twenty years on each distribution count and up to twenty years on the possession count.
Records in eCourts show multiple speeding citations in at least three counties.
Lewis also had cases against him for injury to real property, littering on game lands, and for hunting without a license.
He was charged with marijuana possession, drug paraphernalia and for carrying a concealed gun in Wake County in 2015. The same drug charges were filed against him in Wake County in 2016.
In 1987 and 1988, he was charged for giving alcohol to minors.
In 1992 a case was lodged against him for communicating threats.
A February 2024 case shows 10 counts of second degree exploitation of a minor filed in Franklin County. That case shows "voluntary dismissal" of all charges by the state as the final result.Donte Melvin Peek, of Durham, 34, is charged with attempted enticement of a minor, distribution of child sexual abuse material, receipt of child sexual abuse material, and possession of child sexual abuse material. He faces at least 10 years imprisonment and up to life imprisonment on the enticement charge and up to twenty years in federal prison on the possession count, if convicted.
Peek has a record with the NC Dept. of Public Safety for a conviction for a 2024 arrest charge of misdemeanor stolen goods. Per eCourts, that case also involved possession of a stolen gun and possession of drug paraphernalia.
He has an active case in Durham County listed in eCourts for extortion, stalking and cyberstalking.
Peek's current FBI arrest case documents are on Pacer for those with an account. The original complaint is under USA v. Peek and can be accessed via my document cloud.Jonathan Robert Davlin, of Huntersville, 48, is charged with transportation of child sexual abuse material and possession and access with intent to view child sexual abuse material involving prepubescent minors. He faces at least five years and up to twenty years imprisonment on the transportation count and up to twenty years imprisonment on the possession count.
Davlin has a single entry in eCourts for speeding in Orange County in 2017.Terrell Shawn Anderson, previously of Charlotte, 30, is charged with distributing child sexual abuse material and possession of child sexual abuse material. He faces at least five years in federal prison and up to twenty years on each distribution count and up to twenty years on the possession count. He was arrested by FBI Atlanta.
Records in eCourts show Anderson has a pending case in Mecklenburg Superior court for charges involving first, second, and third degree sexual exploitation of a minor. This case, dated to 2022, lists the charges as numbers 51-58, implying this is a continuation from a previous case that contained charges 1-50 but an eCourts record matching that assumption was not located.
Anderson’s 2022 Mecklenburg County mugshot
“Producing and exchanging child sexual abuse material (CSAM) is a sickening reality in our world, and it's not just happening on the dark web," Robert M. DeWitt, the FBI special agent in charge in North Carolina, said in a press statement.
"Pedophiles use the same platforms that your family and friends use. No matter where this crime is occurring, the FBI will find you," said DeWitt. "The Violent Crimes Against Children (VCAC) program is uniquely positioned to work complex global and multijurisdictional crimes against children with the capacity to counter threats of abuse and exploitation of children."
CSAM is a topic More To The Story has recently touched on in an article detailing arrests of two leaders of the group "764," a decentralized, global sextortion terror network classified as a nihilistic violent extremist network (NVE), as categorized by the DOJ and is considered a "tier one" terrorism threat by the FBI.
One of those two 764 arrests occurred in North Carolina. Prasan Nepal, age 20, was arrested in High Point.
Read more about 764 and Nepal:
