John Edward Prigmore, 40, of Fort Lawn, South Carolina, has been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to possession of child sexual abuse material. The sentencing follows an investigation that began in May 2023 when the South Carolina Attorney General’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC) executed a search warrant at Prigmore’s residence. The action was prompted by a cyber-tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), which indicated that accounts linked to Prigmore contained illegal material.
During the search, authorities found several electronic devices belonging to Prigmore that contained child sexual abuse material. He had previously been convicted on state charges of criminal sexual conduct with a minor.
United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis sentenced Prigmore to 120 months’ imprisonment and ordered lifetime court supervision following his release. There is no parole in the federal system. Additionally, he was ordered to pay $3,000 in restitution.
“This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the U.S. Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals, who sexually exploit children, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc.”
The investigation involved Homeland Security Investigations and the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Matthews prosecuted the case.
*Note: While “child pornography” remains a term used in federal statutes for any visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct involving minors under 18 years old, “child sexual abuse material” is now preferred because it more accurately describes both the nature of these crimes and their impact on victims.*
