According to the office of the South Carolina Attorney General, a man from another state was recently arrested on a charge of sexual exploitation of minors. Investigators reportedly received information that led them to believe that the man had committed sex crimes. Authorities then learned that the suspect was onboard a cruise heading for Charlestown. When he arrived in Charlestown, he was reportedly detained.
Authorities checked his mobile phone and allegedly multiple pornographic images involving children. As members of the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the Charlestown Police Department and the U. S. Department of Homeland Security arrested the man. He is now on a $100,000 bond and was ordered to avoid children and may not access the Internet.
The charge against the man is a third-degree felony, and he may have to spend up to 10 years in prison if he is convicted. Felony sex crimes involving children or other vulnerable persons are serious. Individuals who are charged or questioned by police can severely harm their cases by doing or saying the wrong thing.
Retaining the services of an experienced South Carolina criminal defense attorney to protect the legal rights of an accused person may be invaluable. An attorney who focuses on defending those who are accused of sex crimes will do whatever is possible to avoid a felony conviction. Just because an individual has been accused of a crime does not mean that he or she is guilty. The burden of proof is on government prosecutors to actually document the formal accusations with competent proof that meets the rigorous requirements of the criminal justice system.
Source: counton2.com, “West Virginia man arrested for child porn when cruise ship docks in Charleston“, July 20, 2015
