A 31-year-old Inman man has been charged with two counts of third-degree criminal sexual conduct with a minor after state investigators say he committed or attempted lewd acts with a child under 16 between January 2024 and November 2025. Joshua Alexander De Leon was arrested and booked into the Spartanburg County Detention Center following an investigation led by state agents rather than local deputies.
According to Fox Carolina, the Spartanburg County Sheriff's Office asked state agents to take over the case, and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division confirmed it led the resulting investigation. Arrest warrants cited by the outlet state that the alleged conduct occurred between January 2024 and November 2025. De Leon is from Inman, a growing Spartanburg County municipality that has seen its population climb to an estimated 3,550 residents, an 18% increase since the 2020 Census, according to World Population Review.
State Agents Took Over From Local Deputies
SLED's involvement in this case follows a 2026 financial-fraud investigation in Spartanburg County that the sheriff's office requested, per the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division.
Arrest warrants were issued in the case. De Leon was booked at the Spartanburg County Detention Center at 950 California Avenue, the county's primary holding facility for felony defendants awaiting bond hearings or court appearances.
What De Leon Could Face If Convicted
Third-degree criminal sexual conduct with a minor applies when an offender over age 14 intentionally commits or attempts a lewd act with a child under 16, and proof of intercourse is not required, according to legal reference site Justia Law. Under South Carolina Code § 16-3-655(C), a conviction carries a felony penalty of up to 15 years in prison, along with a fine at the court's discretion, or both.
A conviction would also require registration on the South Carolina Sex Offender Registry under state law, according to Greenville Legal. The offense was previously designated under state law as lewd act on a minor and is now classified as a felony, according to Greenville Legal. The charges fall under South Carolina Code § 16-3-655.
The charges against De Leon remain allegations at this stage. It is the latest in a string of recent Spartanburg County cases in which the sheriff's office has turned to state investigators, following a separate SLED child abuse probe, requested by Duncan Police, involving a Duncan councilman earlier this month.
