South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson has announced the arrest of Richard Vincent Willis, Jr., 54, from Summerville, South Carolina. Willis faces 19 charges related to the sexual exploitation of minors. The arrest was carried out by Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force investigators from the Dorchester County Sheriff's Office, with assistance from the Attorney General's Office.
The investigation began after a CyberTipline report was received from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). This report led investigators to Willis, who is alleged to have possessed files containing child sexual abuse material.
Willis was taken into custody on February 6, 2025. He has been charged with 19 counts of sexual exploitation of a minor in the third degree (§16-15-410). Each count is a felony offense that carries a potential penalty of up to 10 years in prison.
The Attorney General's Office will be prosecuting this case. Attorney General Wilson emphasized that "all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until they are proven guilty in a court of law."
The term child sexual abuse material (CSAM) is used instead of "pornography" as it more accurately reflects the nature of these crimes. It clarifies that children involved are victims rather than participants. The shift towards using CSAM aims to eliminate any implication that children consented to such acts.