CHERRYVILLE, N.C. — A Cherryville businessman accused of using a hidden camera to record girls in the shower pleaded guilty to child pornography charges on Monday.
[RELATED: Cherryville man accused of filming young girls in shower to face 40 new charges]
Prosecutors said Richard Hilliard hid a camera on his boat, "Yachts O' Trouble" and used it to record girls in the shower.
They said those girls were as young as 8 years old, and that another child even said Hilliard paid her for sex.
[PAST COVERAGE: Man accused of recording girls on his yacht in Myrtle Beach out of jail]
Officials said Hilliard admitted in court that he secretly produced recordings of at least 16 children in the Carolinas over the course of eight to 10 years.
In January, a grand jury issued 40 more counts against Hilliard relating to the creation and transportation of child pornography.
Officials said Hilliard pleaded guilty to production of child pornography and possession of child pornography.
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