Palmetto State News

South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson has announced the arrest of Homer Lionel Snipes, a 67-year-old resident of Charleston, South Carolina. Snipes faces 10 charges related to the sexual exploitation of minors. The arrest was carried out by Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force investigators from the Charleston Police Department.

Additionally, the investigation received assistance from the Goose Creek Police Department, Charleston County Sheriff's Office, U.S. Marshals Service, and Homeland Security Investigations, all affiliated with the state's ICAC Task Force.

According to investigators, Snipes was involved in the distribution of child sexual abuse material. The arrest took place on April 8, 2025, and Snipes is charged with 10 counts of sexual exploitation of a minor in the second degree. This is a felony offense that carries a potential sentence of up to 10 years imprisonment for each count.

The case is set to be prosecuted by the Attorney General's Office. Attorney General Wilson emphasized, "All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until they are proven guilty in a court of law."

The term child sexual abuse material (CSAM) is used to better describe the nature of these crimes, as the term "pornography" might suggest consent on the part of the child, which is not the case. The global community is moving away from using "child pornography" in favor of CSAM for this reason.