Williamsburg man arrested on child sexual abuse material charges

AG: South Carolina News

Filed April 6th, 2026

Detected April 8th, 2026

Summary

South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson announced the arrest of Steven Lee Hewitt, Sr., 55, of Williamsburg, on eight counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, second degree (§16-15-405). The arrest was made on April 3, 2026, by ICAC Task Force investigators following a CyberTipline report from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). Hewitt has a prior conviction for similar charges in 2022.

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What changed

Steven Lee Hewitt, Sr. was arrested on eight counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, second degree, a felony offense under South Carolina law §16-15-405. The arrest resulted from a CyberTipline report submitted by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children to the state's ICAC Task Force, which conducted the investigation with assistance from the Williamsburg County Sheriff's Office. Hewitt has a prior conviction for similar offenses in 2022, indicating a pattern of recidivism that may be considered in sentencing.

Law enforcement agencies and prosecutors handling ICAC cases should ensure coordination with NCMEC's CyberTipline reporting system remains robust. Organizations should be aware that CSAM distribution carries serious criminal penalties in South Carolina, and prior convictions significantly increase the severity of subsequent prosecutions.

What to do next

Await trial proceedings
Presume innocence until proven guilty

Penalties

Eight felony counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, second degree; up to 10 years imprisonment per count (maximum 80 years aggregate)

Source document (simplified)

APR 06, 2026

Williamsburg man arrested on Child Sexual Abuse Material* charges

(COLUMBIA, S.C.) - South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson announced the arrest of Steven Lee Hewitt, Sr., 55, of Williamsburg, S.C., on eight charges connected to the sexual exploitation of minors. Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force investigators with the Attorney General's Office made the arrest. Investigators with the Williamsburg County Sheriff's Office, also a member of the state's ICAC Task Force, assisted with this investigation.

Investigators received a CyberTipline report from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), which led them to Hewitt. Investigators state that Hewitt distributed files of child sexual abuse material.

Hewitt was arrested on April 3, 2026. He is charged with eight counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, second degree (§16-15-405), a felony offense punishable by up to 10 years imprisonment on each count.

Hewitt was previously convicted on similar charges in 2022.

The case will be prosecuted by the Attorney General's Office.

Attorney General Wilson stressed that all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until they are proven guilty in a court of law.

Child sexual abuse material, or CSAM, is a more accurate reflection of the material involved in these heinous and abusive crimes. "Pornography" can imply the child was a consenting participant. Globally, the term child pornography is being replaced by CSAM for this reason.

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