New Hanover County Man Faces 21 Felony Counts Involving Exploitation and Statutory Sex Crimes Against Minors

A 25-year-old man faces 21 felony counts in New Hanover County for alleged crimes against minors. Learn more about the charges and upcoming court dates.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 18, 2026, 8:40 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from WECT

Serious Allegations Emerge Following Tuesday Arrest

Law enforcement officials in New Hanover County took David Lawson Timken into custody on March 17, following an investigation into multiple reports of child victimization. According to arrest warrants provided by WECT, the 25-year-old suspect is now confronting a total of 21 felony counts. The scale of the charges reflects a complex set of allegations that include eighteen separate counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, divided equally between second and third-degree offenses, which suggests a significant volume of digital or physical evidence was reviewed by investigators.

Timeline of Alleged Offenses Spanning Several Years

The legal documents associated with Timken’s arrest outline a timeline of criminal activity that reportedly began as early as March 2020. Warrants further specify that additional incidents occurred in April 2024, with a final cluster of alleged offenses noted in September and December of 2025. This multi-year span indicates that the conduct was not an isolated event but rather a series of actions occurring over several years, necessitating a deep dive by local authorities into the suspect's activities during these specific periods.

Vulnerable Victim Demographics Highlight Case Severity

The details regarding the victims in this case underscore the gravity of the prosecution’s pursuit of justice. According to arrest warrants, the individuals involved in these allegations range in age from three to 16 years old. Beyond the exploitation charges, Timken faces two counts of statutory sexual offense with a child age 15 or younger, as well as a charge of statutory rape of a child within that same age bracket. The inclusion of such young children among the alleged victims adds a layer of urgency and severity to the judicial proceedings.