Four Plead Guilty to Serious Charges

On Monday, four individuals pleaded guilty to minor sexual exploitation, with two others facing similar charges. Evidence of child pornography was found at the offenders’ residences, according to the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office.

Ronnie Kelley and Terry Belk each faced a third-degree charge of minor sexual exploitation. Belk negotiated a four-year plea sentence and lifetime sex offender registry, court records indicated. Sheriff’s Deputies said Belk was found to be using the messaging app Kik for sending and receiving explicit images of minors.

The app, popular among teens, is known for its high rates of explicit interactions, including those between adults and minors. Kik has reported such instances to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. Kelley received a ten-year sentence, suspended to four years, and must register as a sex offender. In court, he claimed drug use at the time of the incidents.

Timothy Watkins and Ernest McDonald each also faced a charge of minor sexual exploitation and must register as sex offenders. Watkins, already on the registry, was sentenced to five years in prison. McDonald received a ten-year sentence, suspended to three years of home incarceration and five years’ probation, and must undergo counseling. State Attorney General Alan Wilson said that two other individuals, Eddie Derick and Joshua Worley, are each facing charges of criminal sexual conduct with a minor.