South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson announced on Mar. 23 the arrest of Harrison Todd Dawson, 19, of Anderson, and Andrew Paul Varnadore, 46, of Greer, on a total of 17 charges related to the sexual exploitation of minors. The arrests were made by Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force investigators from the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office and Greenville County Sheriff’s Office in separate cases.
The announcement highlights ongoing efforts to address crimes against children and protect community safety. The South Carolina Attorney General supports victims through advocacy and resources as part of its commitment to public protection, according to the official website.
Investigators received CyberTipline reports from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that led them to Dawson and Varnadore. Authorities say Dawson possessed files containing child sexual abuse material while Varnadore distributed such material. Both men were arrested on March 17. Dawson faces three counts of third-degree sexual exploitation of a minor—a felony with penalties up to ten years per count—while Varnadore faces fourteen counts of second-degree sexual exploitation, also carrying up to ten years per count.
The South Carolina Attorney General’s Office will prosecute both cases. “Attorney General Wilson stressed all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until they are proven guilty in a court of law.”
The South Carolina Attorney General operates as the state’s primary legal advocate and enforcer, handling prosecutions across South Carolina according to its official website. The office collaborates with state law enforcement agencies on criminal prosecutions throughout the state; it also enforces laws related to securities and consumer protection according to information provided by the agency.
Alan Wilson has served as head of this office which extends its operations statewide according to information available from its official site.
