Two Upstate men are facing charges after investigators say separate cases led to the alleged distribution of files depicting child sexual abuse. One suspect is from Greenville, while the other is from Six Mile, and officials say the investigations are unrelated. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, demographic and housing estimates tables for Greenville city are available on Census.gov, which reporters can use for population and household context. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, demographic and housing estimates tables for Six Mile town are available on Census.gov, which reporters can use for population and household context.
According to FOX Carolina, Zachary David Dorn, 22, is charged with one count of sexual exploitation of a minor in the second degree. Donald Joey Lesley, 39, faces five counts of the same charge along with obstructing justice.
Investigators said Dorn was arrested Friday and Lesley was arrested Monday. The South Carolina Attorney General’s Office and Greenville County Sheriff’s Office made the arrests, while the Pickens County Sheriff’s Office, Pickens Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations assisted.
How CyberTipline Reports Fed Two Separate Cases
Both investigations began with reports from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children’s CyberTipline, officials said. South Carolina’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force operates through the Attorney General’s Office and includes more than 50 local, state and federal law enforcement agencies, according to the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office.
The arrests come during a busy stretch of similar announcements in South Carolina. The state Attorney General’s Office recently reported separate cases involving men from Fountain Inn, Pickens and Hampton, while an earlier release detailed four unrelated Upstate arrests after CyberTipline leads; Hoodline also previously covered a Rock Hill exploitation arrest.
What The South Carolina Charges Mean
South Carolina’s second-degree sexual exploitation statute covers knowingly creating or distributing material that depicts a minor engaged in sexual activity or appearing in sexually explicit nudity, according to the South Carolina Legislature. The offense is a felony and can carry up to 10 years in prison for each count upon conviction.
The Attorney General’s Office prosecutes these cases and routinely emphasizes that defendants are presumed innocent unless and until they are proven guilty in court, as stated in a recent agency release. The initial report did not include additional details about bond or upcoming court dates for Dorn or Lesley.
