Source: scdailygazette.com 2/13/26
The bill is advancing as the GOP primary race for governor keeps turning to the topic of prosecuting sex offenders
COLUMBIA — People who create or share images of children being sexually abused could be sent to prison for longer under legislation advancing in the Senate.
This week’s unanimous vote by a Senate Judiciary panel comes amid continued allegations by U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace that her chief rivals in the governor’s race protect pedophiles — which they either deny as ridiculous or decline to respond to at all. It also follows last month’s sentencing of ex-Rep. RJ May, a West Columbia Republican, to 17 1/2 years in federal prison for distributing videos of child sex abuse.
The proposal, sponsored by Lancaster County GOP Sen. Allen Blackmon, would increase the minimum prison sentences for crimes including selling, buying, filming, or producing videos of children being sexually abused by either one or two years. That would reset the sentencing floor at three or five years, with 10 or 20 remaining the max.
It would also set a five-year minimum sentence for prior sex offenders caught with images of children being sexually abused, whether they’re real images or created with artificial intelligence.
How it came about
Blackmon told the SC Daily Gazette he pre-filed the bill…
[SC residents, time to call and write against the sentencing hysteria and ask instead for rehabilitation]
In my humble opinion, all these scumbag hypocrite politicians – local, state & federal – need to STFU until they expose and prosecute ALL those who committed criminal offenses related to the Epstein files. Otherwise, they are simply drawing more attention to the fact that their compatriots on the federal level are doing nothing!!! 😡
(Please don’t ask me how I really feel!😒)
The proposed South Carolina law is seeking a 1 year minimum sentence for possession of more than 25 images, and two years for possession of more than 250? Shoot! That still makes that southern state more enlightened than Wisconsin which sent me to prison for 3 years regarding 5 images
SC politicians should be on a list when their kids come into the world butt naked. Take one for the team in the Pathetic state of South Corrutina