RALEIGH, N.C. – Authorities in Raleigh say a man who was arrested over the weekend on child pornography charges worked as a shopping mall Santa Claus.
Local media outlets report that 63-year-old Leander Dewey Jones of Raleigh is charged with three counts of second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor.
Triangle Santa Buddies founder Al Capehart says Jones is a member of the organization. Its website said he joined last year.
Capehart says Triangle Santa Buddies doesn't perform background checks on its members. Capehart also notes that Jones had no prior criminal records, so a background check would have found nothing on hm.
Jones is being held in the Wake County jail under a $600,000 bond. Online records don't indicate whether he has an attorney to contact for comment on the case.
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