Palmetto State News

South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson has announced the arrest of Justin Marquez-Murguia, a 23-year-old resident of Hilton Head, South Carolina. The charges are related to the sexual exploitation of minors. The arrest was carried out by Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force investigators from the Beaufort County Sheriff's Office, with assistance from the Attorney General's Office.

The investigation began after a CyberTipline report was received from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), which led authorities to Marquez-Murguia. According to investigators, he is accused of producing and possessing child sexual abuse material.

Marquez-Murguia was taken into custody on December 16, 2024. He faces one count of first-degree sexual exploitation of a minor (§16-15-395), a felony that carries a potential sentence of up to 20 years in prison. Additionally, he is charged with one count of third-degree sexual exploitation of a minor (§16-15-410), which could result in up to 10 years imprisonment if convicted.

The case will be prosecuted by the Attorney General's Office. In his statement, Attorney General Wilson emphasized that "all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until they are proven guilty in a court of law."

Child sexual abuse material (CSAM) is considered a more accurate term for these crimes than "child pornography," as it underscores that children cannot consent to such acts. This terminology shift reflects global efforts to better describe these serious offenses.