Coy Lamar Scott Jr., 53, of Newton, was given an active prison term of seven to 13 years following his conviction for first-degree sexual exploitation of a minor during Catawba County Superior Court on Tuesday, July 21, 2026.
The sentence was imposed by Superior Court Judge David H. Strickland of Mecklenburg County after Scott entered a guilty plea on his first court appearance.
The defendant will serve his prison sentence in custody of the North Carolina Division of Adult Corrections. He also will have to register as a sex offender for a period of 30 years.
The 6-year-old female victim reported to her mother on May 9, 2026, that the defendant had pulled her underwear to the side and then took a photo of her private area with his phone.
The defendant told investigators that he “was just playing with her,” and, “I didn’t do nothing. I didn’t think I did anyways.”
A search warrant was completed for Scott’s cell phone, and the image was found on it. He had a distinctive tattoo on his finger and wore silver rings that were visible in the photo. The victim’s underwear also was seen in the image and identified as hers.
The investigation was conducted by Samantha Smiley of the Catawba County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant District Attorney Jessica Phillips prosecuted the case for the State with assistance from Legal Assistant Dea Crowe.