SC Attorney General Alan Wilson last week announced the arrest of Samuel Eugene Smith, Jr., 40, of Gaston, on 20 charges connected to the sexual exploitation of minors. Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force investigators with the Lexington County Sheriff’s Office made the arrest June 14.

Investigators state Smith distributed and possessed files of child sexual abuse material.

He is charged with 10 counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, 2nd degree, a felony offense punishable by up to 10 years imprisonment; and 10 counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, 3rd degree, a felony offense punishable by up to 10 years imprisonment on each count. This case will be prosecuted by the Attorney General’s Office.

* Child sexual abuse material, or CSAM, is a more accurate reflection of the material involved in these heinous and abusive crimes. “Pornography” can imply the child was a consenting participant. Globally, the term child pornography is being replaced by CSAM for this reason.