South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson announced on Mar. 9 the arrest of Joseph Ruben Aguilar, a 21-year-old from Charleston, on two felony charges related to the sexual exploitation of minors. The arrest was made by Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force investigators with the Charleston Police Department, with assistance from the Attorney General’s Office, Summerville Police Department, and Homeland Security Investigations.
The case began after investigators received a CyberTipline report from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that led them to Aguilar. Authorities allege that Aguilar distributed files containing child sexual abuse material. He was taken into custody on March 5 and faces two counts of second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor, each carrying a potential sentence of up to ten years in prison.
The Attorney General’s Office will prosecute the case. Wilson said, “All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until they are proven guilty in a court of law.”
The South Carolina Attorney General supports victims of crime through advocacy and resources, contributing to community safety and protection, according to the official website. The office also serves as the state’s primary legal advocate and enforcer, handling prosecutions and regulations according to its official website.
Alan Wilson has served as head of the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office according to its official website. The office extends its operations across the entire state according to its official website, enforcing laws related to securities and consumer protection according to its official website, and collaborating with state law enforcement agencies on criminal prosecutions according to its official website.
A note included in the announcement explained that child sexual abuse material (CSAM) is now used as a more accurate term than “child pornography,” which can imply consent by minors. Globally, CSAM is replacing older terminology for this reason.
