Burlington search warrant leads to arrest of two men on child‑exploitation charges

Burlington police arrested two men after executing a search warrant at a home on Sweetbay Circle as part of a child pornography investigation, police said. Herbert Lee Williams, 62, was arrested and charged with 10 counts of second‑degree exploitation of a minor; Robert Craig Blackwood Jr., 61, was arrested and charged with one count of second‑degree exploitation of a minor. Both men were taken into custody and are being held without bond at the Alamance County detention facility, according to police releases.

The Burlington Police Department said the search warrant was executed based on information obtained that the home was involved in possessing and disseminating child pornography. The warrant was carried out Feb. 25 with assistance from the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation and the Invictus Task Force, the department reported.

WXII’s coverage described investigators’ belief that those in the home “possessed sexual exploitation materials involving minors,” language mirrored in multiple agency statements. Media accompanying the dispatches carried a photo credit reading “Courtesy: Burlington Police Department,” and local outlets identified the Sweetbay Circle residence as the scene of the operation.

Sources differ slightly on the detention facility name; Abc45 referenced the Alamance County Detention Facility while WXII and Nexstar‑affiliated reporting used Alamance County Detention Center. All outlets, however, state both men are being held without bond. Officials asked that anyone with information contact the Burlington Police Department at 336‑229‑3500; for anonymous tips, call Alamance County‑Wide Crime Stoppers at 336‑229‑7100 or use the P3 Tips mobile app.

News releases and reporting made clear there are significant gaps in publicly available details: no source provided descriptions of the alleged materials, quantities, devices seized, or specifics about dissemination; no victim identities, ages, or locations were released; and no court dates, prosecutor filings, or defense counsel information were included in the materials published with the arrests. Because the allegations involve minors, investigators have not released further identifying information, and the charging language remains limited to exploitation-related counts.

The Burlington Police Department’s public materials also contained unrelated January arrest releases naming Brian Keith Smith and Arthur Lecose Burton, but those incidents are separate from the Sweetbay Circle investigation. Burlington police and partner agencies say the child‑exploitation probe remains active; the arrests of Williams and Blackwood represent the current public status of the case, and the charges against them are allegations to be resolved in court.