South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson has announced the arrest of two Columbia residents, Cecil Dewayne Keys and Jamal Rasheed Brown, on charges related to the sexual exploitation of a minor. The arrests were made by Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force investigators from the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office. They were supported by the Richland County Sheriff’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations, both part of the state’s ICAC Task Force.
The investigation into Brown began following CyberTipline reports from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). Authorities allege that Keys was involved in distributing and possessing child sexual abuse material, while Brown is accused of possession.
Keys was taken into custody on May 7, 2025, facing four counts of second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor and one count of third-degree sexual exploitation. Each charge carries a potential sentence of up to 10 years imprisonment.
Brown was arrested on May 6, 2025, and is charged with four counts of third-degree sexual exploitation of a minor. Each count also carries a possible sentence of up to 10 years imprisonment.
The Attorney General’s Office will prosecute both cases. 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 the nature of these crimes, replacing “child pornography,” which can imply consent from victims who cannot legally provide it.
