South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson announced the arrest of David Hoyt Williams, a 36-year-old resident of Abbeville, S.C., on charges related to the attempted sexual exploitation of a minor. The arrest was carried out by Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force investigators from the Abbeville Police Department.
According to investigators, Williams solicited and traveled to meet an individual he believed to be a minor for sexual purposes. He also sent sexually explicit material to someone he thought was a minor.
Williams was taken into custody on February 5, 2025. He faces one count of criminal solicitation of a minor (§16-15-342), which is a felony offense that carries a potential sentence of up to 10 years in prison. Additionally, he is charged with one count of attempted criminal sexual conduct with a minor (§16-3-655(B)(1)) and four counts of dissemination of obscene material to someone under eighteen (§16-15-345). Each count could result in up to 10 years imprisonment.
The case will be prosecuted by the Attorney General’s Office. Attorney General Wilson emphasized that all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.
The press release also highlighted that “Child sexual abuse material, or CSAM, is a more accurate reflection of the material involved in these heinous and abusive crimes.” It noted that “pornography” might suggest the child consented, which is why CSAM is increasingly used globally instead of “child pornography.”
