A 24-year-old man from Goose Creek, South Carolina, has been arrested on charges related to the sexual exploitation of a minor. The arrest was announced by South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson.
Austin Thomas Woodard was taken into custody on January 16, 2026, following an investigation led by the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force investigators with the Goose Creek Police Department. The Attorney General’s Office, also part of the state’s ICAC Task Force, assisted in the case.
The investigation began after authorities received a CyberTipline report from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). According to investigators, Woodard is accused of producing child sexual abuse material.
Woodard faces two counts of sexual exploitation of a minor in the first degree under South Carolina law (§16-15-395), which are felony offenses. Each count carries a potential penalty of up to 20 years in prison.
The Attorney General’s Office will prosecute the case.
Attorney General Wilson stated: “All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until they are proven guilty in a court of law.”
Child sexual abuse material (CSAM) is now used as a more accurate term for these crimes. The term “pornography” can imply consent from minors, so CSAM is being adopted globally to better reflect the nature of such offenses.
