Man faces over 330 counts of sex crimes against children involving over 130 children

"There are one or two [children] that he did know," Sheriff Hubert Peterkin said to WRAL, "but the majority of these victims were preyed on by various outlets, situations that he set up to get – reach out to these people, and he did a lot of this from his home."

"Right now, it seems that he was independent" and not part of a ring, Peterkin said. "This is not uncommon for people who prey on children. You know, they can do this alone, they can do it a lot, and he did. From what we see in the investigation, he was very busy."

Peterkin further stated that the investigation is still ongoing and more charges are possible.

The investigation began on August 7 when detectives of the Holk County Sheriff's Office were dispatched to a report of juvenile assault.  During the course of that investigation, they found grounds to obtain 156 warrants related to 30-year-old Joshuah Taylor Bradshaw.

"I think he knew it was just a matter of time that we were probably going to charge him, so, before the 150 warrants were obtained, he fled the state," Peterkin said.

Bradshaw was apprehended by the FBI in Etta, Mississippi on September 17 and extradited back to North Carolina.  His first appearance in court took place on Monday morning.

Bradshaw remains in custody at the Holk County Jail in lieu of $20 million bond.  His next court date is scheduled for October 14.

All of the victims are reported to be under the age of 12 with some as young as 5-years-old. The instances of abuse are said to have happened between January and August.

The charges currently against Bradshaw are 12 counts of statutory sexual offense with a child by an adult, 12 counts of taking indecent liberties with children, 12 counts of crimes against nature, 12 counts of first degree sexual exploitation of a minor, 144 counts of second degree sexual exploitation of a minor and 144 counts of third degree sexual exploitation of a minor.