A Lexington County man has been arrested and charged under South Carolina’s new law targeting artificial intelligence-generated child sexual abuse material (CSAM). The arrest was announced by South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson.
Adam Asad Kelton, 25, of Gaston, S.C., was taken into custody on October 30, 2025. Investigators from the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force with the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department led the arrest, with assistance from the South Carolina Department of Probation, Parole, and Pardon Services.
Authorities allege that Kelton possessed files containing AI-generated CSAM. This marks one of the first cases prosecuted under a recent state statute that classifies possession of AI-generated CSAM as a felony offense.
Kelton faces two counts of possession of a visual depiction or representation of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct, activity, or nudity (§16-15-390(C)). Each count carries a potential sentence of up to 10 years in prison.
The case will be prosecuted by the Attorney General’s Office. Attorney General Wilson stated: “All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until they are proven guilty in a court of law.”
The term child sexual abuse material (CSAM) is used to more accurately describe these crimes and avoid implying consent by minors involved in such materials. Internationally, “child pornography” is being replaced by CSAM for this reason.
