MAR 20, 2019

Lancaster County man sentenced to 10 years for child pornography

(COLUMBIA, S.C.) – March 20, 2019 - South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson announced that a Lancaster County man has been convicted of having child pornography and was sentenced to 10 years in prison. Ray Gene Cook, Jr., represented by Mark Grier, pleaded guilty today to one count of Sexual Exploitation of a Minor, 3rd Degree, before the Honorable Roger E. Henderson in Lancaster County.

In May of 2016, Special Investigator Kevin Atkins with the South Carolina Attorney General’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force conducted a proactive investigation into the use of computer file sharing programs for possession and distribution on the internet of files depicting the sexual exploitation of minors.  Special Investigator Atkins downloaded a file containing child pornography from Cook’s computer, which was located in Lancaster County. The case was then referred to Investigator Spencer McInvaille with the Lancaster County Sheriff's Office and the Attorney General’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.  Inv. McInVaille executed a search warrant at Cook’s home, where various electronic devices were seized. A forensic examination of the seized devices led to the discovery of over 150,000 additional files containing child pornography.

Cook was sentenced to a negotiated 10 years in prison.

“Our Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force works around the clock in every part of South Carolina to find these criminals and bring them to justice,” Attorney General Wilson said. “I hope this sentence sends a message to the others out there who have and share child pornography that we will find you and we will lock you up.”

 

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