A man from Fort Mill, South Carolina, has been arrested on seven charges related to the sexual exploitation of a minor. Jacob Allen Smith, 35, was taken into custody by the York County Sheriff’s Office, which is part of the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force. The South Carolina Attorney General’s Office, also a member of the state’s ICAC Task Force, assisted in the investigation.
The investigation began after authorities received a CyberTipline report from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. According to investigators, Smith distributed and possessed files containing child sexual abuse material.
Smith was arrested on January 20, 2026. He faces six counts of sexual exploitation of a minor in the second degree and one count in the third degree. Each charge is a felony offense that could result in up to ten years imprisonment.
The Attorney General’s Office will prosecute the case. Attorney General Alan Wilson said, “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 this type of crime because “pornography” can imply consent by the child involved. The global trend is moving toward using CSAM for clarity about these offenses.
The South Carolina Attorney General serves as the state’s chief prosecutor and legal counsel, overseeing divisions that handle criminal cases and provide victim support services across South Carolina. More information about updates from this office can be found at its official website.
