|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
by ANDY FANCHER
***
In a packed federal courtroom on Monday, former South Carolina lawmaker Robert John “RJ” May admitted to operating the alias “joebidennnn69” and distributing at least five child pornography videos, specifically content depicting the rape of infants and toddlers.
The former GOP lawmaker, who once served as a political firebrand representing District 88 in Lexington County, now faces between five and 20 years in federal prison on each count, along with mandatory lifetime placement on the sex offender registry… if he is ever released.
In addition to a mandatory minimum of five years in prison — if his sentences run concurrently at the minimum — and up to 100 years if imposed consecutively at the maximum, May also faces fines and fees that could exceed $1.2 million, along with restitution for the victims.
May, who was originally indicted on ten counts of distributing child sexual abuse material (CSAM), was arrested by state and federal authorities on June 11, 2025 — exactly one year after securing a decisive primary win alongside his former S.C. Freedom Caucus allies.
***
?? ‘DEPLORABLE, DEPRAVED AND DISGUSTING’: FORMER STATE LAWMAKER PLEADS GUILTY TO DISTRIBUTING CHILD P*RNOGRAPHY
— Andrew Fancher (@RealAndyFancher) September 30, 2025
? Columbia, Carolina
In a packed federal courtroom on Monday, former South Carolina lawmaker Robert John “RJ” May admitted to operating the alias “joebidennnn69”… pic.twitter.com/plREq5HYDG
***
Remanded into custody pending the outcome of his case, the political strategist with no legal background cycled through a private attorney and a federal public defender before ultimately electing to represent himself at a trial that had been scheduled for Oct. 9.
May subsequently filed a series of handwritten motions seeking to suppress evidence, including one alleging the raid of his West Columbia home was conducted on the basis of an affidavit containing false or misleading statements by the federal agent overseeing his case.
He argued that motion — along with several others — during a lengthy hearing last Wednesday. The proceeding was set to resume this week, with at least one motion taken under advisement and additional rulings expected at a later date.
Within 48 hours of last week’s hearing, however, the 38-year-old reversed course and pleaded guilty to five counts of distributing child pornography (.pdf). His days of vehemently maintaining his innocence — and insisting he was the target of a sophisticated political attack — were suddenly over.
Appearing in a striped jumpsuit bearing the insignia of the Edgefield County Detention Center, May raised his chained right hand on Monday and swore under oath to tell the truth. He then stated for U.S. District Judge Cameron McGowan Currie the various names by which he is known.
“RJ, Robert, Robert John, Eric Rentling,” May said, before hesitating on the final alias — the one tied to the distribution of CSAM and the possibility of decades in prison. “Joebidennnn69.”
***
RELATED | POLITICAL TIES AND HARD DRIVES: THE FALL OF RJ MAY
***
As federal authorities have maintained since his indictment, May operated under that alias for roughly five days while campaigning for reelection in 2024 — distributing approximately 220 videos of CSAM to a network of “like-minded pedophiles” through the Kik Messenger app.
While no child pornography was recovered from any of the devices seized from his West Columbia home by federal authorities last year, forensic evidence linking him to the alias was enough to push May into entering a guilty plea ahead of trial.
As May himself revealed on Monday, prosecutors had initially offered to drop eight of the distribution charges if he agreed not to pursue his motion to suppress evidence. By pressing forward, he forfeited that deal in a gamble that ultimately failed (.pdf, .pdf).
Currie has since accepted his guilty plea to five counts of distributing child pornography — one video on April 1 and four more on April 3 — totaling just over five minutes of material so depraved it’s hard to argue that any punishment within the law could ever be enough.
According to prosecutors, Counts One and Three of the videos May pleaded guilty to distributing were sent to Kik user “randomcouplehere,” later identified by federal authorities as Christian Soto, a traveling nurse who was arrested in Oklahoma City last month.
As for Counts Two, Four, and Five, that content was purportedly sent to Kik users “budburns” of the United Kingdom and “budsmckenzie420” of Georgia, who have not been publicly identified or known to have been arrested as of this publication.
***
***
“These actions by Robert John May are deplorable, depraved and disgusting,” U.S. Attorney Bryan Stirling said following Monday’s plea hearing. “We selected the ten most appalling videos to charge Mr. May with. Today, he pleaded guilty to… the worst of the worst.”
In addition to forfeiting inherent rights such as voting, holding public office, serving on a jury, or possessing firearms, prosecutors revealed for the first time Monday that 21 victims have been directly identified in the trove of child pornography recovered from May’s Kik account.
In total, 62 victims were noted “overall.”
According to Sterling, several of the files disseminated by May have surfaced in other cases, apart from the 440 distributions attributed to the former lawmaker during his five-day CSAM spree. Sterling emphasized that “every download re-victimizes these children and fuels this evil industry.”
Following the acceptance of May’s guilty plea, he moved to have his standby counsel — federal public defenders Jenny Smith and Jeremy Thompson — reappointed as his formal representation for sentencing, ending his failed stint as a pro se defendant.
Now under the supervision of a federal probation officer, a pre-sentence report will be prepared recommending a sentence, though Currie will have the final say on how much time May serves.
He will remain at the Edgefield County Detention Center until his sentencing hearing, which is tentatively scheduled for Jan. 14, 2026.
This story may be updated.
***
ABOUT THE AUTHOR…
(Dynal Nolan/FITSNews)
Andrew Fancher is a Lone Star Emmy award-winning journalist from Dallas, Texas. Cut from a bloodline of outlaws and lawmen alike, he was the first of his family to graduate college which was accomplished with honors. Got a story idea or news tip for Andy? Email him directly and connect with him socially across Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
***
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.
5 comments
Well, it’s great that we managed to take down one small-town Republican pedo; now, release the Epstein files so we can get a lot more.
So, when does Epstein’s best friend plan on pardoning him? What’s going to be his position in the cabinet?
Another problem solver and future leader from USC. Thank god he self-destructed before further being ensconced in the political class that rules South Carolina. Only the best…
Now let’s look at his associates in his little Caucus “club”. As they say, “You are the company you keep.”
People just have to understand that South Carolina in the 2020s and Palm Beach in the 90s, were different times. LOL. If this is “so depraved it’s hard to argue that any punishment within the law could ever be enough”, what is appropriate for Epstein’s friends, customers, co-perpetrators, whatever you want to call them? Why is MAGA Mike so desperate to keep the Epstein files a secret that he is refusing to seat a newly elected Representative and demanding Republicans remove their names from the discharge petition demanding their release?