South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson has announced the arrest of Joseph David Schofield, IV, an 18-year-old from Simpsonville, South Carolina. Schofield faces charges linked to the sexual exploitation of minors, with the arrest carried out by Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force investigators from the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office. The state’s ICAC Task Force, including investigators from the Attorney General’s Office, assisted in the investigation.
The arrest of Schofield was prompted by a CyberTipline report from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). Authorities allege that Schofield was involved in the distribution of child sexual abuse material. He was taken into custody on April 24, 2025, and charged with three counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, second degree (§16-15-405). This felony offense carries a possible sentence of up to 10 years imprisonment for each count.
The Attorney General’s Office will prosecute the case. Attorney General Wilson emphasized that Schofield, like all defendants, is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
A note from the Attorney General’s Office specifies that Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) is a term used to more accurately describe the nature of these crimes. The term “pornography” might mistakenly imply child consent, which is not the case. Globally, the term “child pornography” is being replaced by CSAM to better reflect the gravity of such offenses.
