By Shavonne Walker

shavonne.walker@salisburypost.com

A Mecklenburg County woman faces child pornography charges in connection with a Rowan County case.

A federal arrest warrant filed Thursday says 29-year-old April Nicole Pitchford coerced a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct and sent images and video by text message to a Salisbury man.

The incidents occurred Oct. 18, 2016, and Oct. 19, 2016, in Mecklenburg County.

In January 2017, Pitchford was charged by Mint Hill police with two counts of indecent liberties with a child, two counts each of first- and second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor, and secret peeping.

The charges were filed after Rowan County authorities say Pitchford sent images and video to Joshua Martorelli of Salisbury.

Martorelli was associated with Wendy Kasper, a Salisbury woman who admitted to secretly recording a young girl in a bathroom for the purpose of sexual gratification for Martorelli and repeatedly engaging in sex acts with a dog.

A number of federal documents filed this week and last month remain sealed, including a pretrial report, financial affidavit and the initial copy of the arrest warrant.

Pitchford is being held in the Mecklenburg County jail.

 

Contact reporter Shavonne Walker at 704-797-4253.