A Garysburg man was arrested Tuesday by the Edgecombe County Sheriff’s Office on outstanding warrants for child sex offenses drawn by the Northampton County Sheriff’s Office.

Captain Patrick Jacobs said in a statement the warrants against Tryonte Ponton, 25, were the result of an investigation that began on March 1 for sexual crimes involving a female juvenile.

Jacobs obtained the warrants Monday.

Ponton faces charges of two counts of statutory rape of a child under 15-years-old, a count of indecent liberties with a child, a count of contributing to the delinquency of a juvenile, and a count of soliciting by computer or electronic device with a juvenile appearing to have sex. 

He received a $1 million secured bond and his first court appearance is scheduled Thursday.

“I encourage anyone with information or that are victims of sexual crimes involving children or themselves to please report the same to the Northampton County Sheriff’s Office or their local law enforcement agency,” Sheriff Jack Smith said. “The Northampton County Sheriff’s Office will continue to work closely together along with other agencies. Our agency takes cases of this magnitude very seriously and we will investigate it to the fullest extent and when it’s obvious that there is a violation of law, charges will be obtained.”