South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson announced that Russel Stokes, 56, received the maximum sentence after pleading guilty to Sexual Exploitation of a Minor, Third Degree in Greenville County. The plea was entered before Judge Jessica Savini on January 16, 2025.
The investigation into Stokes began in March 2024. An investigator from the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office conducted a proactive probe into the distribution of child sexual abuse material on a peer-to-peer file-sharing network. Files made available by a user were downloaded by the investigator, leading them to identify Stokes's residence in Greenville County through subscriber information. A search warrant executed by the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office resulted in the seizure of Stokes's electronic equipment, which contained thousands of files of child sexual abuse material. At his arrest, Stokes was already out on bond for similar charges.
Judge Savini sentenced Stokes to ten years in prison, with credit for 171 days served. Upon release, he will be required to register as a sex offender.
Assistant Attorney General Stephen Ryan prosecuted the case.