Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

An Elizabethton man faces two felony charges following an investigation that began when local parents found their juvenile daughter in possession of a cellular phone which they were not aware she had. Deputies of the Carter County Sheriff’s Office arrested Caleb Vance, age 19, of Elizabethton, on Tuesday morning on a warrant charging him with statutory rape and additionally charged him with one count of sexual exploitation of a minor.

 The charge against Vance stems from an investigation that began on June 13 when a man and woman reported to a CCSO deputy they had found their teenage daughter in possession of a cellular phone that they were not aware she had. The parents told deputies they found messages on the phone that led them to believe their daughter had been engaging in a sexual relationship with Vance.

 The parents turned the phone over to deputies and granted permission for investigators to obtain the data from the phone. When investigators searched the phone, they found messages on the phone discussing sexual activity, messages regarding the female juvenile sneaking out of her residence, and a nude image of Vance. The juvenile informed investigators how she was acquainted with Vance and stated that they had engaged in sexual activity.

 Based on the evidence recovered from the phone along with the juvenile’s statement to investigators, a warrant was obtained charging Vance with statutory rape.

 On Tuesday, deputies located Vance and took him into custody on that warrant. At the time of his arrest, Vance was found in possession of a cellular phone, and he consented to allow investigators to search the device. While searching Vance’s phone, investigators found a video saved to the device that showed Vance and the juvenile engaging in sexual activity.

 Following the discovery of the video, investigators additionally charged Vance with one count of sexual exploitation of a minor.

 Vance was booked into the Carter County Detention Center on Tuesday morning and was released after posting a $20,000 bond.