South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson announced on March 27 the arrest of Amanda Kamrin Smith, 46, of Pelzer, South Carolina, who faces six charges connected to the sexual exploitation of a minor. The Greenville County Sheriff’s Office Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force made the arrest with assistance from the Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office in North Carolina.
The case highlights ongoing efforts by law enforcement and state prosecutors to address crimes involving minors. According to investigators, Smith is accused of engaging in criminal sexual conduct with a minor, manufacturing child sexual abuse material (CSAM), showing sexually explicit images to a minor, and placing a child at risk of harm.
Smith was taken into custody on March 20 and charged with two counts of criminal sexual conduct with a minor; two counts of first-degree sexual exploitation of a minor—each carrying up to 20 years imprisonment if convicted; one count of disseminating obscene material to someone under age twelve—a felony punishable by up to 15 years; and one count for unlawfully placing a child at risk. The Attorney General’s Office will prosecute the case.
Attorney General 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 through advocacy and resources as part of its commitment to community safety according to the official website. The office operates as the state’s primary legal advocate and enforcer across prosecutions and regulations according to the official website. Wilson has served as head of this office according to the official website, which extends its operations statewide according to the official website.
Additionally, the Attorney General enforces laws related to securities and consumer protection according to the official website while collaborating with state law enforcement agencies on criminal prosecutions according to the official website.
The terminology used in these cases is evolving: CSAM more accurately describes material involved in such crimes than “child pornography,” since it does not imply consent.
