Horry County man sent to prison for 4 years for child pornography

(COLUMBIA, S.C.) - Oct. 23, 2019 – Attorney General Alan Wilson announced that an Horry County man has been sentenced to four years in prison for child pornography possession. Charles Jared Thomas pleaded guilty on October 21^st, 2019, to one count of Sexual Exploitation of a Minor, 3^rd Degree in Horry County in front of Judge Deadra Jefferson.

“Child pornography is repulsive and will never, ever be tolerated,” Attorney General Wilson said. “The people who share and possess child pornography need to remember that our Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force works around the clock to find you, and we make arrests every week.”

In February and June 2016, Thomas sent child pornography via a file sharing network to Special Investigator Kevin Atkins with the Attorney General’s Office. Investigators with the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department also reported being sent child pornography from Thomas. After a search warrant was executed at his residence, additional child pornography was found on two of his laptops.

In addition to the sentence of four years in prison, Thomas consented to the forfeiture of the laptops and will have to register as a sex offender upon his release.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant Deputy Attorney General Kyle Senn.