Palmetto State News

South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson has announced the arrest of Ian Kelly Sanders, a 33-year-old resident of Fort Mill, South Carolina. Sanders faces one charge related to the sexual exploitation of a minor. The arrest was carried out by investigators from the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, specifically from the Fort Mill Police Department.

The investigation received assistance from several agencies, including the Attorney General's Office, York County Sheriff's Office, and Homeland Security Investigations. These entities are all members of South Carolina's ICAC Task Force. The case began with a CyberTipline report from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), which led investigators to Sanders. According to officials, Sanders is accused of distributing files containing child sexual abuse material.

Sanders was taken into custody on October 9, 2024. He has been charged with one count of second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor under statute §16-15-405. This felony offense carries a potential sentence of up to 10 years in prison if convicted.

The Attorney General's Office will handle the prosecution of this case. In his announcement, Attorney General Wilson emphasized that "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 instead of "child pornography" because it more accurately describes the nature of these crimes without implying consent by minors involved.