Lady’s Island man charged with uploading sexual images of children to the internet
A Lady’s Island man was arrested Thursday morning and accused of uploading child sexual abuse imagery to the internet, according to a news release from the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office.
Phillip Martin Jr., 42, was charged with two counts of sexual exploitation of a minor in the second degree and two counts of sexual exploitation of a minor in the third degree.
The sheriff’s office obtained the warrants for Martin’s arrest after receiving a lead from the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office Internet Crimes Against Children initiative.
The police also seized “numerous electronic devices” that had been used to upload the imagery. The S.C. Attorney General’s Office will conduct a forensic examination on these devices that could lead to additional criminal charges, according to the release.
“In addition, the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office will prosecute Martin Jr. for all charges stemming from this ICAC investigation,” the release read.
Martin was transported to the Beaufort County Detention Center and has not yet received a bond hearing for the four charges. He remains incarcerated.