Palmetto State News

A North Charleston man has been arrested on charges related to the sexual exploitation of a minor, according to South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson. Frank Edward Locklear, 36, faces six charges after an investigation by the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force led to his arrest.

The arrest was made by ICAC Task Force investigators from the Charleston County Sheriff's Office. The investigation received support from several agencies, including the Attorney General's Office, Summerville Police Department, Mount Pleasant Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, and U.S. Marshals Service.

Locklear is accused of distributing and possessing files containing child sexual abuse material. He was taken into custody on March 14, 2025. The charges against him include two counts of second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor and four counts of third-degree sexual exploitation of a minor. Each count carries a potential sentence of up to 10 years in prison.

The Attorney General's Office will prosecute the case. 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 used as a term to describe these crimes more accurately than "child pornography," which can imply consent from the child involved. This terminology shift reflects global efforts to address these offenses appropriately.