Man jailed on child porn charges worked at Beaufort Co. preschool, officials say
Editor’s note: An earlier version of this story stated Baker had previously been charged with possession of child pornography in Colorado in 2024. Police in Telluride said he was under investigation for the offense and that his house was searched for evidence, but he had not yet been charged with a crime. The investigation remained active as of January 2026.
A St. Helena Island man recently jailed on several child pornography charges had been employed at a local preschool and was arrested on its campus, officials said Wednesday.
Brandon Scott Baker, 38, who faces three counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, was employed at Sea Island Sprouts, a Port Royal preschool serving children ages 1 to 4, according to Robert Kittle of the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office.
A representative for Sea Island Sprouts would not answer questions when contacted by phone Wednesday evening. In an emailed statement, the school did not name Baker, but said the individual arrested on campus Tuesday “is no longer working at the school.”
“The matter does not involve the school,” the email read. “We cooperated fully with authorities and notified appropriate licensing agencies. At the time of hiring, all required background checks and standard hiring procedures were completed in accordance with state licensing requirements.”
Sea Island Sprouts is located on 15th Street, two blocks from Port Royal’s downtown drag on Paris Avenue. The school uses the Reggio Emilia philosophy, which values experiential learning and creativity.
Baker had previously been under investigation for alleged possession of child pornography in April 2024 in Telluride, Colorado, where he lived. Local police received information from the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force that implicated Baker in the crime, according to The Telluride Times.
He had been working at another local preschool but resigned immediately when police detained him and searched his house for evidence, the newspaper said. He had not yet been charged with a crime as of January 2026, but the case remained under investigation.
Public records show Baker moved to Beaufort County around June 2024, two months after police detained him in Colorado.
In South Carolina, sexual exploitation of a minor refers to crimes involving child sexual abuse material, more commonly known as child pornography. Baker was charged by the South Carolina attorney general with two third-degree counts and one second-degree count.
Authorities typically define the third-degree charge as possessing CSAM, while the second-degree charge is used for defendants accused of digitally uploading or receiving the material. Each count corresponds with one image or video allegedly found by investigators.
Both charges are felonies under South Carolina law, and are punishable by a maximum of 10 years in prison. The second-degree charge carries a two-year minimum sentence.
As of Wednesday evening, Baker remained in custody at the Beaufort County Detention Center on bonds totaling $100,000.
This report will be updated.
This story was originally published January 28, 2026 at 5:53 PM.
