Sheriff Dustin Smith Announces Arrest of Peachtree Man for Child Exploitation Charges

Press Release

Cherokee County, NC – Sheriff Dustin Smith of the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office has announced the arrest of Corey Benjamin Sneed, 39, of the Peachtree Community of Cherokee County. Sneed has been charged with ten counts of Second-Degree Sexual Exploitation of a Minor and ten counts of Third-Degree Sexual Exploitation of a Minor. These charges stem from his alleged possession and distribution of material depicting minors in sexually explicit situations.

The investigation began when the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received CyberTips (CT) from Google and MeetMe, which reported that Sneed had uploaded suspected child sexual abuse material. The Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force Detective with Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office reviewed the CyberTip and confirmed that the images met the criteria for Second and Third-Degree Sexual Exploitation of a Minor under North Carolina law.

On August 15, 2025, Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office assisted by Clay County Sheriff’s Office and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation Computer Crimes Unit, executed a search warrant at Sneed’s residence resulting in the seizure of electronic devices, including several cell phones. Sneed was interviewed by detectives during the search. Forensic analysis conducted by Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office identified multiple files on the devices containing child sexual abuse material. Based on this evidence, warrants were obtained against Sneed on August 20, 2025 and he was later taken into custody without incident at his residence.

Sneed is currently confined in the Cherokee County Detention Center under two bonds, one of $100,000.00 secured and the other being “no bond”, both set by a North Carolina Magistrate.

The Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office urges parents and guardians to remain vigilant about their children’s online activities. For resources on protecting children and reporting suspicious activities, please visit https://www.missingkids.org/home.

If you have information concerning this case or other child exploitation cases, please contact Detective Nolan Queen at (828) 835-4975.

All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.