Republican Arrested

South Carolina State Rep. Robert “RJ” May of Lexington County has been indicted on 10 federal counts of distributing child sexual abuse material.  Law enforcement seized various computer hardware at his house last year. May was elected to the S.C. House in 2020. He has been a leader of the state Freedom Caucus, a group of alt conservative Republicans known for supporting Trump..

The State reported on the arrest of the Republican member, R.J. May. May is in law enforcement custody facing potential federal charges related to child pornography. May is best known for being a founding member of the Republican Freedom Caucus. His political consulting firm Ivory Tusk ran campaigns for conservative candidates including members of the Freedom Caucus.

Homeland Security Investigations Unit, a law enforcement agency within the Department of Homeland Security searched his house at Lake Frances Drive in West Columbia on Aug. 5. The Homeland Security Investigations conducts federal criminal investigations into child exploitation, human trafficking and the illegal movement of people, goods, money, contraband, weapons and sensitive technology into, out of and through the U.S.