A North Carolina man has been sentenced to a minimum of 20 years in prison after pleading guilty to sex crimes against a minor. Cameron Lee McCullough was sentenced on June 29, 2026, to an active prison term of 240 to 348 months (20-29 years) for first-degree statutory sex offense and third-degree sexual exploitation of a minor.
According to the Buncombe County District Attorney's Office, McCullough was arrested in March 2025 after an investigation into a sexual assault at Weaver Park in Asheville. The victim's family appeared in court on June 29 and requested that the maximum sentence be imposed.
As part of his sentence, McCullough will have to register as a lifetime sex offender and submit to lifetime satellite-based monitoring (SBM) after his release from prison. This is the second recent case involving child sex crimes in Buncombe County; last week, an 82-year-old man was sentenced to up to 19 years for similar offenses.
The investigation into McCullough's crimes began with a report of a sexual assault at Weaver Park on March 11, 2025. A 911 caller reported that a man had lured a child into the restroom and sexually assaulted them. Evidence of child sexual abuse material was later discovered as part of the investigation.
**Background**
Child sex crimes are a serious concern in North Carolina and across the United States. In recent years, there has been an increase in reports of such crimes, leading to increased awareness and efforts by law enforcement agencies and advocacy groups to prevent and prosecute these offenses.
The Buncombe County District Attorney's Office has worked closely with local law enforcement and victim support services to investigate and prosecute cases involving child sex crimes. The office has also consulted with the victims' families throughout the prosecution process.
This article is based on reports from three separate news sources, including WSPA 7NEWS, FOX Carolina, and WLOS.