A 78-year-old retired teacher who once taught at Troutman Middle School and West Rowan High School now faces 11 felony child exploitation charges, with investigators saying he confessed to uploading and downloading child sexual abuse material on his devices. Stephen Kenneth Suther was first arrested on Sept. 28 and now faces a second warrant issued Oct. 14 that added ten more counts.
According to WCNC, Suther's initial arrest came with a single count of second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor, and a magistrate set his bond at $100,000. That first warrant alleges he distributed child sexual abuse material on or about Oct. 31, 2025. The Iredell County Sheriff's Office identified Suther as a former teacher at both Troutman Middle School and West Rowan High School.
Sixteen days later, a second warrant dramatically expanded the case. Per the station's report, the Oct. 14 warrant charged Suther with 10 additional counts of third-degree sexual exploitation of a minor, each tied to a separate image or file, and alleges he possessed child sexual abuse material on or about Feb. 26, 2025. In total, Suther now faces 11 felony child exploitation charges dating back to 2025.
How the Investigation Began
The case traces back to information the sheriff's office received from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, according to the same account. The warrants allege the depicted children included some who were prepubescent. A detective with the sheriff's office's Special Victims Unit obtained search warrants for Suther's electronic devices, and investigators interviewed him directly.
Investigators say that during that interview, Suther confessed to uploading and downloading child sexual abuse material on his devices, the sheriff's office reported. The sheriff's office says its investigation remains ongoing and expects additional charges to be filed against Suther as the inquiry continues.
National CyberTipline Reports
In 2025 alone, the CyberTipline run by the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children received 21.3 million reports that included more than 61.8 million items of suspected child sexual exploitation material.
Under North Carolina law, a person commits second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor if, knowing the character or content of the material, they carry out one of the acts outlined in G.S. 14-190.17. A related statute, G.S. 14-190.17A, governs third-degree sexual exploitation of a minor, the charge applied to each of the 10 additional counts against Suther.
Suther was arrested Sept. 28 and charged with second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor. The investigation remains active, and the sheriff's office has not said when additional charges might be filed.
