South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson announced the arrest of Christopher David Mills, a 23-year-old resident of Starr, S.C., on charges related to the sexual exploitation of a minor. The arrest was made by investigators from the Anderson County Sheriff's Office, part of the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force. The Attorney General's Office, also a member of South Carolina's ICAC Task Force, provided assistance in this investigation.
The investigation began following a CyberTipline report from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), which identified Mills as a suspect. Investigators allege that Mills distributed and possessed files containing child sexual abuse material.
Mills was taken into custody on February 7, 2025. He faces nine counts of second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor under §16-15-405 and six counts of third-degree sexual exploitation of a minor under §16-15-410. Each charge is classified as a felony offense, carrying potential penalties of up to 10 years imprisonment per count.
The Attorney General's Office will handle the prosecution. In his statement, Attorney General Wilson emphasized that "all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until they are proven guilty in a court of law."
Child sexual abuse material (CSAM) is used to describe the material involved in these crimes accurately. The term "pornography" may incorrectly suggest that children were willing participants. Globally, CSAM is replacing the term "child pornography" for this reason.