Fired officer makes first court appearance following child porn charges

NEW BERN, Craven County — A former married police officer with three children was arrested overnight on child pornography charges.

31-year-old Jason Lovick made his first court appearance Thursday morning in Craven County.

Instead of being escorted into the courtroom in an orange jumpsuit, Lovick was seated in the crowd after bonding out late Wednesday. He was read his charges and left the courtroom shortly after his first appearance ended.

Lovick, of Vanceboro, was arrested Wednesday night and booked into the Craven County Detention Center. He is facing eight felony counts of second degree sexual exploitation of a minor.

He was given an $80,000 secured bond before he bonded out. Lovick was fired the same day as a result of the investigation and arrest.

“Jason Lovick is no longer employed here. He only worked here for about three and a half weeks. He started in early January," Grifton Police Chief Brian Silva said.

Lovick was formerly a deputy with the Craven County Sheriff's Office, a Lenoir County law enforcement officer and has worked with the Grifton Police Department up to his arrest, according to arrest warrants.

Documents said Lovick "willfully and feloniously did distribute, receive and exchange digital image material" involving at least six minors, ages ranging from 11 to 17 years old, from late October 2018 to Feb. 6, 2019.

Warrants state Lovick is not allowed to communicate directly or indirectly with the victims. Lovick was also ordered to stay away from the home, temporary residence, school, business and place of employment of the alleged victims.

The North Carolina State of Bureau of Investigation is now handling the case.

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