South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson has announced the arrest of William Frank Abbott, Jr., a 32-year-old resident of Lancaster, South Carolina. Abbott faces 19 charges related to the sexual exploitation of a minor. The arrest was carried out by Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force investigators from the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office.
According to investigators, Abbott is accused of engaging in criminal sexual conduct with a minor and producing files containing child sexual abuse material.
Abbott was taken into custody on August 5, 2025. He has been charged with two counts of criminal sexual conduct with a minor under §16-3-655(C), four counts under §16-3-655(A)(1), and thirteen counts of first-degree sexual exploitation of a minor under §16-15-395. Each count for first-degree sexual exploitation 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.”
The term “child sexual abuse material” (CSAM) is used to more accurately describe materials involved in these crimes. The use of “pornography” may wrongly suggest consent by the child; therefore, CSAM is now preferred globally for clarity regarding the abusive nature of such offenses.
