William Frank Abbott, Jr., a 32-year-old resident of Lancaster, South Carolina, has been arrested on multiple charges related to the sexual exploitation of a minor. The arrest was made by the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office as part of the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force.
Authorities allege that Abbott engaged in criminal sexual conduct with a minor and created files containing child sexual abuse material (CSAM). He was taken into custody on August 5, 2025.
Abbott faces two counts of criminal sexual conduct with a minor under §16-3-655(C), four counts under §16-3-655(A)(1), and 13 counts of first-degree sexual exploitation of a minor under §16-15-395. Each count for first-degree sexual exploitation carries a potential sentence of up to 20 years in prison.
The South Carolina Attorney General’s Office will handle the prosecution of this case.
Attorney General Alan Wilson emphasized the presumption of innocence, stating, “all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until they are proven guilty in a court of law.”
The term “child sexual abuse material” is used to more accurately describe content involved in such crimes, as it reflects the abusive nature and avoids implying consent from victims. The use of CSAM is replacing older terminology globally for this reason.
