Palmetto State News

South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson has announced the arrest of Brandon Scott Wood, a 32-year-old resident of Summerville, South Carolina. Wood faces 20 charges related to the sexual exploitation of minors. The arrest was carried out by investigators from the Dorchester County Sheriff's Office, who are part of the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force. The investigation received assistance from the Attorney General's Office, also a member of the state's ICAC Task Force.

The investigation into Wood began following a CyberTipline report from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). According to investigators, Wood was involved in distributing files containing child sexual abuse material.

Wood was taken into custody on January 29, 2025. He is facing 20 counts of second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor under section §16-15-405. Each count is classified as a felony offense and carries a potential penalty of up to ten years in prison.

The Attorney General's Office will handle the prosecution of this case. Attorney General Wilson emphasized that all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.

The term "child sexual abuse material" (CSAM) is used to accurately describe such crimes, as it avoids implying any consent on behalf of minors involved. This terminology is increasingly being adopted worldwide instead of "child pornography."