Wake County schools employee arrested, charged with sexual exploitation of a minor

A Wake County schools employee of over 15 years has been charged with multiple counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, according to school system officials.

Steven Sharp, a 60-year-old Raleigh man, was arrested Friday on charges of second degree sexual exploitation of a minor.

Second degree sexual exploitation of a minor is a felony offense related to the creation, duplication or distribution of child pornography, according to North Carolina law.

Lisa Luten, a spokeswoman for the Wake County Public School System, said in an email that law enforcement officials “have confirmed no WCPSS students were involved or associated with this child pornography case.”

Sharp has been suspended, Luten said.

She added he had been a maintenance technician with Wake schools since March 13, 2006.

The News & Observer has reached out to the Wake County Sheriff’s Office for more information.

This story will be updated as more information becomes available.

This story was originally published August 7, 2021 at 1:00 PM.