Former S.C. Lawmaker R.J. May Pleads Guilty

Former South Carolina lawmaker R.J. May has agreed to plead guilty to five federal counts of distributing child sexual abuse material, according to a plea agreement filed in federal court. He was originally indicted on 10 counts; each count carries between five and 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of up to $250,000, and the agreement includes a waiver of his right to appeal. Investigators say the probe began after the messaging app Kik flagged an account using the alias “joebidennnn69” in April 2024, and that the account was traced to May’s home IP address and mobile device with at least 10 videos shared, some stored in a cloud account. May was arrested in 2025, was suspended without pay and subsequently resigned from the South Carolina House, and has represented himself while filing motions to suppress evidence and seek a change of venue. The plea must be approved by a federal judge, who will decide sentencing details including whether terms run consecutively or concurrently; the case remains under development.