Bazle Kenneth Hutto, 70, of Lexington, was arrested on April 7 and charged with three counts of sexual exploitation of a minor in the third degree.

Investigators say Hutto possessed files of child sexual abuse material and has already been convicted on similar charges this year.

Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force investigators with the Lexington County Sheriff's Department made the arrest.

His charges qualify as a felony offense punishable by up to 10 years imprisonment on each count.

This case will be prosecuted by the Attorney General's Office.

“Attorney General Wilson stressed all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until they are proven guilty in a court of law,” according to a release from 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.”