Highlands PD assists MCSO during investigation
An investigation by four law enforcement agencies led to the arrest of two Macon County men on charges related to the possession of child pornography.
According to Macon County Sheriff’s Office reports, Paul Vatalaro, 56, and Michael Allen Jones, 56, were taken into custody last week following an investigation that lasted several months.
Vatalaro was charged with four felony counts of third degree sexual exploitation of a child. He was placed into the Macon County Detention Center under a $100,000 secured bond provision and has since made bail.
Jones was charged with three counts of third degree sexual exploitation of a child. His bond was set at $200,000 and he remains in the Macon County Detention Center.
“We received a tip from the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, which is a division of the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, regarding one of these suspects back in October of 2020,” Macon County Sheriff Robert Holland said. “A second tip about the second suspect followed in November. We launched an investigation into both men and determined there was probable cause to arrest them for possessing child pornography.”
After making contact with the suspects, the investigation spread to other jurisdictions and other states, according to Holland. The sheriff’s office enlisted the help of Highlands Police department, Franklin Police Department and the NCSBI during the course of the investigation.
“Highlands PD actually has an officer that is in training to investigate these types of crimes and they were able to make that officer available to help us, which was invaluable,” Holland said. “These cases take a lot of time for evidence gathering and the more resources that are available, the better off we are.”
During the investigation MCSO detectives were granted search warrants for each suspects home and all of their electronic devices. Holland noted that those items may lead to additional evidence and potentially more criminal charges in the future.
“It’s important to note that these were two separate investigations and that the two suspects are not connected,” Holland said. “There is a mountain of digital information to sift through in both cases and it’s going to take some time to complete. These cases serve as a great example of our local agencies working together to protect and serve our community.”