South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson has announced the arrest of Brian David Banegas, a 20-year-old resident of Hardeeville, South Carolina. Banegas faces 15 charges related to the sexual exploitation of minors. The Jasper County Sheriff’s Office, part of the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, conducted the arrest. The investigation also involved assistance from the Attorney General’s Office, S.C. Law Enforcement Division, Charleston County Sheriff’s Office, and Hardeeville Police Department.
The investigation began after receiving a CyberTipline report from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), which led investigators to Banegas. Authorities allege that Banegas distributed files containing child sexual abuse material.
Banegas was taken into custody on June 13, 2025. He is charged with 15 counts of second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor (§16-15-405). This felony offense carries a potential penalty of up to 10 years in prison for each count.
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 term “child sexual abuse material” or CSAM is used to accurately describe these crimes and avoid implications that the children involved were consenting participants. Globally, this term is replacing “child pornography” for clarity and accuracy.
