Crimes involving children are managed with the highest level of care in South Carolina. As they are treated with the utmost importance, those accused of these crimes may face an uphill battle in clearing their name. Recently, a 76-year-old man in Cheraw was arrested and is facing a significant amount of prison time, over a century to be precise, for supposedly emailing child pornography.
According to the Attorney General, this is the second time this elderly gentleman has been arrested on charges related to child pornography in a 17 month time span. The arrest was made after a task force, known as Internet Crimes Against Children, was alerted that explicit images involving children had been sent from the accused’s home. A warrant was obtained, and computer equipment was retrieved for further investigation.
The accused is facing multiple counts of second-degree exploitation of a minor. This is considered a felony offense, which could result in a prison term of up to 10 years per count if convicted. Bond was set at over $70,000 in this case. It is unknown if any future court dates have been scheduled.
When it comes to accusations of owning or distributing child pornography, the punishment can be quite severe in South Carolina if a conviction is secured. While searching personal property is considered a standard in these cases, it is a delicate matter that must be handled a certain way by local law enforcement. Any mistakes made while performing searches and gathering evidence can lead to costly consequences for individuals accused of a crime. For this reason, assessing any evidence offered against the accused will be of vital importance in helping to determine the best legal approach to use in fighting these charges.
Source: yourdailyjournal.com, “Man charged with emailing child porn”, , July 23, 2014