Harnett County Authorities Arrest Florida Man On Indecent Liberties Charges

The suspect, identified as Michael Charles Iannone, is a 65-year-old retired Escambia County sheriff's deputy. He was arrested in Florida and brought back to Harnett County on Friday.

According to Harnett County Sheriff Larry Rollins, Iannone had been communicating with a 14-year-old Harnett County girl over the Internet while claiming to be a 19-year-old male. Rollins said Iannone induced the victim to send nude photos of herself over the Internet and sent to the victim photos of nude men.

Iannone never came to North Carolina. He has been charged in Harnett County apparently because that is where the girl received the photos.

Iannone was placed in the Harnett County jail on a $1 million bond.

Iannone has been charged with six counts of taking indecent liberties with a minor and nine counts of disseminating obscenity to a minor.

The Harnett County Sheriff's Office was assisted in the investigation by the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, SBI forensic computer experts, the Escambia County Sheriff's Office and the Florida office of the FBI.

A search warrant was served on Iannone's computer in Florida, and charges may be filed in Florida.