Former South Carolina Lawmaker Pleads Guilty to Distributing Hundreds of Child Sex Abuse Videos

Robert John “RJ” May III, a former South Carolina State Representative, pleaded guilty to five federal counts of distributing child sexual abuse material, after a five-day spree in 2024 during which he shared over 470 unique videos depicting the sexual abuse of infants and toddlers. The evidence, including digital logs linking May's home IP address and devices to the illicit activity, was flagged by the social messaging app Kik and investigated by federal authorities. May faces between five and 20 years in prison per count, fines up to $250,000, mandatory lifetime sex offender registration, supervised release, and a $40,000 restitution payment to victim assistance funds. His guilty plea ended the scheduled trial set for October 9, 2025, and sentencing is planned for January 14, 2026. Prosecutors emphasized the severity and scale of the crimes, involving 62 victims, 21 of whom have been identified, highlighting the ongoing harm caused by the distribution of such content. May’s convictions also bar him from voting, holding office, possessing firearms, or serving on juries permanently.