Robert K. Bonesteel, 63, of West Columbia, was sentenced to over 21 years in federal prison for producing child sexual abuse material.

“Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that in November 2023, law enforcement agencies executed an undercover chat operation targeted at identifying child sex offenders,” according to a press release from the U.S. Department of Justice. “During the chat operation, undercover officers posed as a 14-year-old boy and chatted with Bonesteel on a social media application. Bonesteel discussed ‘ravaging’ him and engaging in oral sex, before agreeing to meet the child at his home in Lexington where Bonesteel believed he was home alone.

“Bonesteel arrived at what he believed to be the minor’s home with condoms and was arrested. Following his arrest, law enforcement searched Bonesteel’s phone and discovered that Bonesteel had produced and disseminated child sexual abuse material. Further social media messages revealed that Bonesteel coached other individuals on how to groom children and sexually abuse them.”

United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis sentenced Bonesteel to 260 months, followed by a term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. The court ordered that restitution be paid to the victim.

“This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice,” according to the press release. “Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.”

This case was investigated by the FBI Columbia Field Office, the U.S. Secret Service, the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department and the Lexington Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elle E. Klein prosecuted the case.