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Details regarding the myriad devices at the heart of a child porn investigation into a sitting South Carolina state lawmaker burst into the public domain on Friday afternoon – providing further confirmation of the seriousness (and scope) of the federal inquiry.
And a preview as to its timing…
As FITSNews exclusively reported nearly three months ago, agents of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) special investigations unit (HSI) – with support from the S.C. State Law Enforcement Division (SLED) – executed a search warrant on the West Columbia, S.C. home of state representative R.J. May III on the morning of August 5, 2024.
FITSNews subsequently confirmed this early morning search of May’s home was focused on allegations related to child sex abuse materials, or “CSAM” – more commonly known as child pornography. Shortly thereafter, we reported that multiple devices had been seized in connection with the raid – and that federal investigators were securing warrants which would enable them to search these devices.
Our reporting was subsequently confirmed by reporters Anna Wilder and John Monk of The (Columbia, S.C.) State newspaper.
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Late Friday (October 25, 2024), reporter Nick Reynolds of The (Charleston, S.C.) Post and Courier published an article updating the status of the investigation – a report based in large part on a court filing his paper obtained from the office of U.S. attorney Adair Ford Boroughs.
According to Boroughs’ filing (.pdf), criminal indictments against May are expected “within three months.” While specific charges were not addressed in the motion – which addresses procedural matters related to property seized by the government from May’s home – an inventory of items collected by investigators was included.
Specifically, the feds acknowledged being in possession of “various electronics identified as one Lenovo laptop, one Amazon tablet, four cell phones, four hard drives, four SD cards, two DVD-Rs and nineteen thumb drives” which were “seized by agents of (HSI) on August 5, 2024.”
“The subject properties are associated with a pending criminal investigation in this district,” the feds’ filing noted.
That investigation is being led by assistant U.S. attorney Scott Matthews, who “anticipates the filing of a criminal indictment within three months,” according to the motion.
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First elected to the S.C. House of Representatives in 2020, May remains a sitting member of the S.C. General Assembly. In fact, he is unopposed on the general election ballot this fall – although he is facing a write-in challenger in the aftermath of our reporting of the federal investigation.
In addition to his legislative service, May remains president of Ivory Tusk Consulting — a political consulting and public relations agency headquartered in Lexington County.
According to its now-disabled website, May’s firm has collaborated with (among others) U.S. congressmen Russell Fry and Joe Wilson, S.C. attorney general Alan Wilson, Lexington County sheriff Jay Koon, Berkley County sheriff Duane Lewis and at least three sitting members of the S.C. Freedom Caucus.
In addition to obtaining the federal file, Reynolds’ report noted that May’s colleagues in the Freedom Caucus “have not heard from him in months,” according to the group’s new chairman, state representative Jordan Pace.
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THE FILE…
(U.S. District Court)
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR …
Will Folks is the founding editor of the news outlet you are currently reading. Prior to founding FITSNews, he served as press secretary to the governor of South Carolina. He lives in the Midlands region of the state with his wife and seven children.
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2 comments
RJ my boy they are closing in on your sorry ass. Get ready cause the shit fixin to hit the fan!
What’s the hold up on charges if there’s evidence of a crime?