Hardeeville man faces sex crime charges in two neighboring counties
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A Hardeeville man was released on bond from Beaufort and Jasper county jails as he faces charges involving child pornography in both jurisdictions.
Kevin Richard Vliet, 55, was charged Monday with five counts of second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor in Beaufort County. In Jasper County, he faces three third-degree counts of the same charge after his arrest Nov. 17.
South Carolina law defines second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor as distributing or receiving child sexual abuse material, more commonly known as child pornography. The third-degree charge refers to possession of CSAM. Both offenses are felonies.
Each of Vliet’s eight counts corresponds with one piece of CSAM he allegedly uploaded, received or was in possession of, according to Robert Kittle, a spokesperson for the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office, which is prosecuting the cases.
Vliet faces charges in two counties because around Oct. 24, while the investigation was taking place, he moved houses from Beaufort to Jasper County, Kittle said. The Attorney General’s office says there is probable cause that Vliet committed crimes in both counties.
The investigation began after the SCAG’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force received an online tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, which investigators were able to connect to Vliet.
Following his arrest in Jasper County, Vliet posted cash bonds totaling $60,000 and was released Nov. 14. He was arrested Monday in Beaufort County and released the next day on cash bonds totaling $150,000.
Both second-degree and third-degree sexual exploitation of a minor carry a maximum prison sentence of 10 years under South Carolina law. The second-degree charge includes a two-year minimum term.
The investigation was assisted by members of Homeland Security Investigations, who are also part of the state’s ICAC Task Force, according to an SCAG press release.
Judicial records in Beaufort and Jasper counties showed no past criminal history connected to Vliet.
This story was originally published November 26, 2025 at 12:57 PM.
