Child Pornography Possession Arrest

On October 30, 2025, the Salisbury Police Department was notified by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) that an unidentified individual had uploaded possible child pornography.  Detectives with the Salisbury Police Department immediately started an investigation to identify the individual responsible for the upload.  With the assistance of the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (NCSBI) and the Landis Police Department, Detectives were able to identify the individual who uploaded the pornography as 35-year-old Juan Pablo Valencia-Chavez.  A forensic search was conducted of digital items seized from Mr. Valencia and from his residence. During the forensic search, detectives were able to locate images and video evidence consistent with child pornography.   

On January 6, 2026, Salisbury Police Department Detectives arrested Mr. Valencia and charged him with one count of third-degree sexual exploitation of a minor.  Mr. Valencia was placed in the Rowan County Detention Center under a $20,000.00 bond.  

During the investigation, Detectives determined that Mr. Valencia was employed as a teacher with the Rowan County School System.   Detectives notified the School System administration, who immediately took action to prevent further interactions with students and staff.  Detectives have not found any evidence that any Rowan County School students were involved in this incident.  

Chief P.J. Smith stated, “Our top priority is the safety and well-being of our children. We will always pursue these investigations with the utmost seriousness to ensure that those responsible for this type of egregious activity are held accountable.”

Anyone with information or video of the incident is asked to contact Detective McDaniel at 704-638-5333.