St. Helena man jailed in October faces more charges of sexual exploitation of a minor
A St. Helena Island man who was charged with various sexual exploitation of a minor offenses now faces at least 23 additional charges just over a month after his initial arrest.
James Bishop, 72, was charged Monday with 23 counts of sexual exploitation of a minor. Bishop faces a total of 35 charges of sexual exploitation of a minor in all.
On Oct. 8, police received a tip about Bishop from a community member, according to Maj. Angela Viens, a Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson. Deputies got a search warrant to go into two properties linked to Bishop, his home and a storage unit. While there, officers found child sex abuse material that had been “stored electronically,” Viens said.
Police believe the incidents took place on several occasions spanning from 2005 until 2006 and again from 2019 until 2020.
Bishop is in custody at the detention center in Beaufort.
If you or someone you know has been affected by sexual abuse, help can be found by calling Hopeful Horizons’ 24-hour support line at 843-770-1070.
BEHIND THE STORY
MOREWhy we did this story:
The Island Packet and Beaufort Gazette newspapers are making an effort to update stories we’ve published where criminal charges were filed. Criminal charges mean law enforcement had probable cause to arrest someone, but a court decides on a person’s guilt and conviction. If our newspaper has written about a crime where charges were brought, we want to use public records to show what happened in that case. If you think a crime story featuring you or someone you know needs updating, email Sofia Sanchez at ssanchez@islandpacket.com or newsroom@islandpacket.com.
