|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
Federal investigators and prosecutors are reportedly nearing the end of their ongoing probe of embattled South Carolina state representative R.J. May III – the former vice chairman and top political strategist of the S.C. Freedom Caucus.
As FITSNews first reported, federal and state law enforcement agents descended upon May’s West Columbia, S.C. home on the morning of August 5, 2024. Upon arrival, they executed a search warrant in connection with an ongoing federal investigation into child sex abuse materials (CSAM, a.k.a. “child porn”).
Our media outlet subsequently confirmed the focus of the raid – and shortly thereafter confirmed that multiple devices had been seized in connection with it. We further confirmed that federal investigators with the special investigations unit (HSI) of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) were securing additional warrants which would enable them to search these devices.
Assisting HSI in its inquiries were assets of the S.C. State Law Enforcement Division (SLED).
***
Weeks later, federal prosecutors 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.”
Charges were originally expected to be filed several months ago, but the investigation has dragged into the late spring – prompting some to put stock in May’s insistence that he was being unfairly targeted by the “deep state.”
At the time of the August raid, May had just won his GOP primary election – and was unopposed on the general election ballot. He handily dispatched a write-in challenger last November to win his third term in the S.C. House representing District 88 (.pdf).
While prevailing in his election, May seemingly vanished from the grid in the aftermath of the search – and didn’t resurface until the convening of an organizational session of the S.C. House of Representatives at the State House in Columbia last December. Not long thereafter, Freedom Caucus leaders belatedly confirmed to FITSNews that May had been suspended from the organization “for some time.”
May has dutifully attended the 2025 session of the S.C. General Assembly, casting votes alongside his colleagues for the past five months. Just this week, though, one of his fellow “Republicans” – state representative Brandon Guffey – took to the well of the S.C. House of Representatives and slammed May.
***
RELATED | ‘REPUBLICANS’ TRY TO OPT OUT OF THEIR MASSIVE PAY RAISE
***
“We have a member within this body that has been investigated for child sex crimes,” Guffey stated. “And everyone can sit with him like there’s no issue and never have any trouble.”
So… what is the status of the federal investigation into May?
According to sources familiar with its progression, criminal indictments against the conservative lawmaker are indeed “imminent” – with May likely to be arrested and indicted on multiple counts related to this inquiry “before the end of spring.” For those of you checking your calendars, that’s June 20, 2025 – three weeks away.
These sources indicated the delay in the investigation was not attributable to any issues with the case, but instead was due to the amount of time required to conclusively document a voluminous amount of material – along with the need for all of that work to be signed off on by specific federal assets.
“They are measuring twice – even three times – so they can cut once,” a source familiar with the inquiry told FITSNews. “But rest assured: the blade is gonna fall.”
As always, the presumption of innocence that is so foundational to our justice system applies to May – and whenever he is ultimately charged (and whatever those charges may be) he is considered innocent unless a jury of his peers determines him to be guilty, or unless he pleads guilty to certain charges.
Stay tuned to FITSNews for the latest on the status of this high-profile federal case as it moves toward a point of critical mass…
***
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 eight children.
***
WANNA SOUND OFF?
Got something you’d like to say in response to one of our articles? Or an issue you’d like to address proactively? We have an open microphone policy! Submit your letter to the editor (or guest column) via email HERE. Got a tip for a story? CLICK HERE. Got a technical question or a glitch to report? CLICK HERE.
3 comments
These days when incriminating material can be pushed to any computer or smart phone without the owner knowing, not sure what’s true anymore. FitsNews reporting seems to know how to navigate those waters and phrase the story in such a way that allows for corruption to surface if it exists. Appreciate that.
This story, though, reminds me of a SC lawyer who was asked why he hadn’t run for state office. His telling answer, “I don’t have enough skeletons in my closet.”
More to come. Word on the street is there are several members who stepped out to support May with there on closet full of skeletons. I mean bad stuff like hiring illegal aliens, not reporting income on reports, campaign finance violations, and misappropriation of campaign funds. Not to mention, all of the Freedom Caucus members at a press conference defending May by saying he was a member in good standing. ALL. OF. THEM. Even new members knowing May was being investigated marched to the same drumbeat. SICK.
The ‘investigation’ was based on allegations that completely lacks/ed evidence — so feds went on a fishing expedition. Anyone on a soap box airing the corruption in our govt becomes a target. May became a target just like Chauvin became a tool to distract (and discredit) those who are a threat to ‘the party’. May is a swat victim of weaponized government. Recognize that what happens to him can happen to anyone who doesn’t go with the flow. Remember also that this same govt said the cameras were down and officers not at their duty stations so unable to verify Epstein die3d of suici5de — and now they have footage they didn’t have over 18mos ago. AI-fabricated evidence isn’t hard to come by.