A Greenville man has been arrested on five charges related to the sexual exploitation of a minor, according to an announcement from South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson. Alexander William Vermeesch, 21, was taken into custody by Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force investigators from the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office. The Attorney General’s Office, also part of the state’s ICAC Task Force, assisted in the investigation.
The investigation began after a CyberTipline report from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) led authorities to Vermeesch. Investigators allege that Vermeesch distributed and possessed files containing child sexual abuse material.
Vermeesch was arrested on October 22, 2025. He faces two counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, second degree, which is a felony offense punishable by up to 10 years in prison for each count. He also faces three counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, third degree, also felonies carrying a maximum sentence of 10 years per count.
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.”
According to the Attorney General’s Office, the term “child sexual abuse material” (CSAM) is used instead of “child pornography” because it more accurately describes the abusive nature of the content and avoids implying consent by the minor involved. The terminology shift reflects a global move toward using CSAM to describe such offenses.
