Palmetto State News

South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson has announced the arrest of Nicholas Addison William Kishbaugh, a 32-year-old resident of York, South Carolina. Kishbaugh faces ten charges related to the sexual exploitation of minors. The arrest was carried out by Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force investigators from the York County Sheriff's Office. Assistance in the investigation was provided by members of the Attorney General's Office and the South Carolina Department of Probation, Parole, and Pardon Services, who are also part of the state's ICAC Task Force.

The investigation began after receiving a CyberTipline report from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). Investigators allege that Kishbaugh distributed files containing child sexual abuse material.

Kishbaugh was taken into custody on March 20, 2025. He is charged with ten counts of second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor under §16-15-405, each count being a felony punishable by up to ten years in prison.

It is noted that Kishbaugh had previously been convicted on similar charges in 2023. 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 a court of law.

Child sexual abuse material (CSAM) is used as a more precise term for these crimes. It reflects the non-consensual nature of such material, distinguishing it from terms like "pornography," which might imply consent on part of involved children. Globally, there is a shift towards using CSAM instead of child pornography for clarity and accuracy.