Palmetto State News

South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson has reported that Lawrence Tafoya, a man previously on probation for possessing child sexual abuse material, has been sentenced to prison after being found with thousands more files of similar content. The sentencing took place on October 23, 2024, in York County before Judge Daniel D. Hall.

Tafoya entered a guilty plea to two counts of Sexual Exploitation of a Minor, 3rd degree. The case was brought to light on March 15, 2024, when Investigator Alex Clark from the York County Sheriff’s Office was informed by Probation, Parole and Pardon Services about a cell phone seized from Tafoya containing illegal material. Tafoya was already serving probation for similar offenses at the time.

The forensic examination conducted by SCPPP confirmed the presence of child sexual abuse material on Tafoya's phone. Following his arrest on April 11, 2024, he admitted to having additional images stored in other devices at his home. A search warrant executed at his residence led to the seizure of several items. Forensic analysis revealed files of child sexual abuse material not only on his cell phone but also thousands more on his laptop.

Judge Hall handed down a six-year prison sentence to Tafoya with credit for the 196 days he had already served. Additionally, Tafoya is required to continue registering as a sex offender and must surrender any devices containing illicit content.