South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson announced on Mar. 11 the arrest of two Chesterfield County brothers, William Todd Motes and Bobby Willie Lee Motes, Jr., on a total of seven charges related to the sexual exploitation of minors. The arrests were made by Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force investigators from the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office, with assistance from the U.S. Secret Service 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 William Motes. Authorities said William Motes possessed files containing child sexual abuse material, while Bobby Motes, Jr. was found in possession of artificial intelligence-generated child sexual abuse material.
William Motes was arrested on March 6 and faces five counts of sexual exploitation of a minor in the third degree, each carrying up to ten years imprisonment if convicted. Bobby Motes, Jr., also arrested on March 6, is charged with two counts of possession of visual depictions or representations of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct or nudity, which are felony offenses punishable by up to ten years imprisonment per count. Both cases will be prosecuted by the Attorney General’s Office.
Attorney General Wilson said, “All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until they are proven guilty in a court of law.” The press release also clarified terminology: “Child sexual abuse material, or CSAM, is a more accurate reflection of the material involved in these heinous and abusive crimes. ‘Pornography’ can imply the child was a consenting participant. Globally, the term child pornography is being replaced by CSAM for this reason.”
The South Carolina Attorney General supports victims through advocacy and resources as part of its commitment to community safety according to the official website. The office serves as the state’s primary legal advocate and enforcer for prosecutions and regulations according to the official website, under Wilson’s leadership according to the official website. Its operations extend statewide according to the official website and include enforcement in securities and consumer protection matters according to the official website. The office also collaborates with state law enforcement agencies and solicitors on criminal prosecutions according to the official website.
These arrests highlight ongoing efforts by state authorities to address crimes involving children through collaboration with federal partners and use of digital investigative tools.
