South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson announced the arrest of Andrew Chandler Shugart, a 24-year-old from Rock Hill, South Carolina. Shugart faces five charges related to the sexual exploitation of a minor. The York County Sheriff's Office, part of the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, made the arrest with assistance from investigators in the Attorney General's Office.
The investigation began after receiving a CyberTipline report from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). According to investigators, Shugart was involved in distributing and possessing files containing child sexual abuse material.
Shugart was taken into custody on January 31, 2025. He has been charged with two counts of second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor under §16-15-405 and three counts of third-degree sexual exploitation under §16-15-410. Both are felony offenses that carry penalties of up to 10 years imprisonment per count.
The case is set to be prosecuted by the Attorney General's Office. Attorney General Wilson emphasized that all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.
"Child sexual abuse material, or CSAM, is a more accurate reflection of the material involved in these heinous and abusive crimes," explained Wilson. He noted that using "pornography" could imply consent by minors involved, which is why CSAM is becoming more commonly used globally.