Palmetto State News

South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson has announced the arrest of two men from Hartsville, S.C., on charges related to the sexual exploitation of minors. Michael Thomas Allen, 24, and Wyman Troy Manuel, 55, were apprehended by Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force investigators from the South Carolina Attorney General's Office. The arrests were made in separate cases.

The investigation was initiated following a CyberTipline report from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). According to investigators, Allen is accused of distributing child sexual abuse material, while Manuel is alleged to have possessed such files.

Allen was taken into custody on January 15, 2025. He faces two counts of second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor under section §16-15-405. Each count carries a potential sentence of up to 10 years in prison.

Manuel was also arrested on January 15, 2025. He is charged with five counts of third-degree sexual exploitation of a minor under section §16-15-410. Similar to Allen's charges, each count could result in up to 10 years imprisonment.

The Darlington County Sheriff's Office, Homeland Security Investigations, and U.S. Secret Service assisted with these investigations as part of the state's ICAC Task Force.

Both cases will be prosecuted by the Attorney General's Office. 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" or CSAM is used instead of "child pornography" because it more accurately reflects the nature of these crimes. Globally, this terminology shift is being adopted as it underscores that children cannot consent to such acts.