A Rock Hill man is facing felony charges after investigators say they found child sexual abuse material in his possession. Brandon James Higley, 40, was arrested on April 14 and is now charged with five counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, third degree.
South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson announced the arrest, saying Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force investigators with the York County Sheriff's Office handled the case and located files alleged to be child sexual abuse material, according to the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office. The office also notes that defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
How The CyberTipline Led Investigators
Investigators say the probe started with a CyberTipline report from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, which pointed them to suspected material. NCMEC’s CyberTipline is the nation’s centralized reporting system for online child sexual exploitation. It receives reports from electronic service providers and from the public, then routes relevant leads to law enforcement, according to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children.
York County ICAC Task Force Work
The York County Sheriff's Office is part of South Carolina’s ICAC network and works alongside state and federal partners on online child-exploitation investigations. The agency has run multi-agency operations in recent years that led to multiple arrests, as described by the York County Sheriff's Office.
Charges And Potential Penalties
Higley is charged under South Carolina’s third-degree sexual exploitation statute, S.C. Code §16-15-410, which, according to the South Carolina Legislature, makes possession of child sexual abuse material a felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison upon conviction. Convictions under these statutes can also trigger sex-offender registration and other collateral consequences under state law, according to legal commentary from Snell Law.
What Happens Next
The Attorney General's Office says it will prosecute the case and reiterates that Higley, like all defendants, is presumed innocent until proven guilty, per the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office. Local outlet WCNC published initial coverage of the arrest on April 28, 2026.
How To Report Tips
Anyone with information related to this investigation is asked to contact the York County Sheriff's Office or submit a report through NCMEC’s CyberTipline, which forwards leads to local investigators around the country. For resources and to report suspected online exploitation, visit the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children and the York County Sheriff's Office public notices.
