A North Charleston man has been arrested on six charges related to the sexual exploitation of minors, according to an announcement from South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson. Arturo Vega Cruzado, 43, was taken into custody by Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force investigators with the Charleston County Sheriff’s Office.
The investigation also involved assistance from Homeland Security Investigations, Mount Pleasant Police Department, and the S.C. Department of Probation, Parole, and Pardon. All agencies are members of the state’s ICAC Task Force.
Investigators allege that Cruzado possessed files containing child sexual abuse material.
Cruzado was arrested on August 14, 2025. He faces six counts of sexual exploitation of a minor in the third degree under South Carolina law (ยง16-15-410). Each felony count carries a potential sentence of up to 10 years in prison.
The Attorney General’s Office will prosecute the case.
Attorney General Wilson stated: “All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until they are proven guilty in a court of law.”
According to the release, child sexual abuse material (CSAM) is now used as a term instead of “child pornography” because it more accurately describes these crimes and avoids implying consent by victims.
