State Officials Applaud Unanimous Passage of Tougher Penalties for Child Predators

Attorney General Alan Wilson, local sheriffs, and members of the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force gathered at the State House today to express gratitude to state lawmakers following the unanimous passage of legislation designed to significantly strengthen penalties against child predators.

The newly passed bill, designated as H.4804, was originally proposed by Attorney General Wilson in 2025. The legislation was shepherded through the General Assembly by Representative Travis Moore (R-Spartanburg County) and Senator Allen Blackmon (R-Kershaw County), ultimately securing unanimous approval in both the House and the Senate.

The statutory updates introduce stringent structural changes to how the state penalizes the exploitation of minors, including:

Increased Minimums: Raising the mandatory minimum prison sentences for the creation and distribution of Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM).
New Possession Penalties: Establishing a brand-new mandatory minimum sentence specifically for the possession of CSAM.
Tiered Sentencing: Implementing a volume-based sentencing system where the severity and length of the prison term increase based on the total number of illicit images and videos a perpetrator possesses.
Sex Offender Enhancements: Creating a strict five-year mandatory minimum sentence for any individual already on the registered sex offender registry who is convicted of possessing CSAM.

The legislative overhaul follows a measure passed last year that criminalized the creation, possession, or distribution of AI-generated or digitally morphed explicit images without consent. Members of the state’s ICAC Task Force noted that law enforcement agencies nationwide are encountering an escalating volume of exploitative material generated via Artificial Intelligence.

With H.4804 now passed, state prosecutors and investigators have expanded statutory tools to target and penalize offenders across South Carolina.