Palmetto State News

South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson announced the arrest of Sammy Lee Knight, a 30-year-old resident of Greenville, South Carolina. Knight faces three charges related to the sexual exploitation of minors. The arrest was carried out by the Greenville County Sheriff's Office's Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force investigators. The task force received support from investigators at the Attorney General's Office and the City of Greenville Police Department, both members of the state's ICAC Task Force.

The arrest stemmed from a CyberTipline report from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, which led investigators to Knight. Authorities allege Knight distributed child sexual abuse material.

On April 4, 2025, authorities arrested Knight. He is charged with three felony counts of sexual exploitation of a minor in the second degree, under §16-15-405. Each charge carries a potential sentence of up to 10 years imprisonment.

The Attorney General's Office will prosecute the case. Attorney General Wilson emphasized the presumption of innocence, stating, "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 to accurately describe the content involved in such criminal activities. The term "pornography" may suggest consent, which is misleading. Globally, "child pornography" is being replaced by CSAM for this reason.