Palmetto State News

(COLUMBIA, S.C.) - South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson announced the arrest of Ronald Gene Blankenship, Jr., 42, of Hemingway, S.C., on three charges connected to the sexual exploitation of a minor. Investigators state Blankenship distributed files of child sexual abuse material. Blankenship was arrested on March 27, 2024. He is charged with three counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, second degree (§16-15-405), a felony offense punishable by up to 10 years imprisonment on each count. The case will be prosecuted by the Attorney General's Office.

Attorney General Wilson stressed, "All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until they are proven guilty in a court of law." He also highlighted the importance of using the term "child sexual abuse material" instead of "child pornography," stating that globally, the term CSAM is being adopted to accurately reflect the nature of these crimes.

Investigators from the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, along with members from the Williamsburg County Sheriff's Office and U.S. Secret Service, assisted in Blankenship's arrest. The collaboration between these agencies underscores the commitment to combatting crimes related to child sexual exploitation.

The arrest serves as a reminder of the ongoing efforts to identify and prosecute individuals involved in such heinous acts. The case against Blankenship will now proceed through the legal system, with the Attorney General's Office leading the prosecution.