Cherryville man accused of filming young girls in shower to face 40 new charges

CHERRYVILLE, N.C. — A Cherryville man accused of secretly recording young girls as they showered on his yacht is now facing 40 new charges.

Channel 9 has uncovered a new indictment against Richard Hilliard Jr.

The new charges are connected to creating child porn and taking it across state lines.

Last year, a federal judge decided Hilliard should stay behind bars for the safety of the community.

[PAST COVERAGE: Man accused of recording girls on his yacht in Myrtle Beach out of jail]

Hilliard was already accused of filming teenage girls showering on his yacht and allegedly recorded girls as young as 8 years old, according to federal investigators.

Documents say Hilliard recorded an 8-year-old in the shower at Cleveland Country Club in Shelby.

Investigators searched the yacht and his home on Clineland Road in Cherryville and found more recordings, including two 8-year-old girls.

(Richard Hilliard)

“You hear about it a lot. It’s disgusting,” Cherryville neighbor Victoria Bohne said.

Hilliard was arrested in Myrtle Beach in June on suspicion of secretly recording girls on his yacht, two of them minors.

A girl, who is now an adult, was reportedly recorded showering and engaging in sex acts with Hilliard.

Agents say the girl was between the ages of 14 and 16 at the time of the recordings, and she testified that she was paid by Hilliard to perform sexual acts.