Man arrested for child sex crimes in Haywood
![Tyler James Ponder](https://smokymountainnews.s3.amazonaws.com/media/k2/items/cache/158a255fc06c25c716914ea698f318f0_XL.jpg?javer=2409070720)
On Thursday, Nov. 30, 2023, Haywood County Sheriff’s deputies from the Criminal Suppression Unit located and arrested Tyler James Ponder, 35, of Canton, North Carolina on four counts each of statutory sex offense with a child by an adult and four counts of taking indecent liberties with a child.
This multi-agency investigation included detectives from the Haywood County Sheriff’s Office, Haywood County Health and Human Services Agency, Kids Advocacy Resource Effort (K.A.R.E.), North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation and United States Homeland Security Investigations.
Ponder is currently being held in the Haywood County Detention Center under a $2 million secured bond.
“Our office will continue to suppress crime and bring perpetrators before a court of law affording all due process,” said Haywood County Sheriff Bill Wilke. “We will be vigilant to protect our county and its citizens, especially our children.”