NC cop accused of sexual assault is fired, arrested with child porn, chief says
An 11-year Mooresville patrol officer was arrested and fired Wednesday, just days after a girl reported to police that he sexually assaulted her over several years, Police Chief Ron Campurciani said.
Former officer Matthew Beebe, 37, was arrested at his home in Sherrills Ford on four counts of felony third-degree sexual exploitation of a minor, Campurciani said at a Wednesday news conference at police headquarters. The charges relate to what the chief called “kiddie porn” found on Beebe’s phone after his arrest.
“The other investigation’s going to drag out,” he said. “There’s an exam. There’s other things that need to get done, and there may be other victims that come forward. So that’s going to take time.”
Beebe was surprised to see officers at his door Wednesday morning and was arrested without incident, the chief said.
Beebe was jailed under a $60,000 secured bond, police said. The arrest is a “black eye” on the department, Campurciani said.
Police are still investigating the girl’s allegations and expect to file charges related to assaults, the chief said. They did not disclose her age.
Police have yet to check computers seized at Beebe’s home and expect more victims in the case, Campurciani said.
The chief said his investigators acted quickly when police learned of the allegations last Friday.
Fellows officers “are obviously in shock, disbelief,” he said.
“The alleged actions of this individual do not reflect the mission, vision, and values of Mooresville Police Department and those of our community,” Campurciani said in a statement. “We understand that this impacts public trust of our department. However, we moved quickly and decisively to take action on these allegations.
“We are committed more than ever to serving and protecting our community,” the chief said.
Because multiple jurisdictions are involved, the Iredell County District Attorney’s Office requested a special prosecutor for the case, Campurciani said.
He thanked the Catawba County Sheriff’s Office for assisting in the arrest.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
This story was originally published August 2, 2023 at 5:11 PM.