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Former South Carolina GOP Lawmaker Sentenced to 17.5 Years for Child Pornography
A federal judge sentenced former South Carolina Republican lawmaker RJ May to 17.5 years in prison on Wednesday for distributing hundreds of videos depicting child sexual abuse. The sentencing took place just blocks from the state Capitol where May once served as a representative.
May, 39, pleaded guilty in September to charges stemming from what prosecutors described as a “five-day child pornography spree” in spring 2024. According to court documents, he used the screen name “joebidennnn69” on the Kik social media platform to exchange 220 different files showing toddlers and young children being sexually abused.
“He claimed to be their advocate by sponsoring bills in the legislature, but he was their abuser with videos that will live on forever,” said Judge Cameron McGowan Currie during the sentencing hearing.
The case has drawn particular attention for its stark hypocrisy. As a lawmaker, May had voted eight times for legislation aimed at protecting children or strengthening penalties for child abuse. Just months before his arrest, in January 2024, May had declared during a House debate on transgender care for minors: “We as legislators have an obligation to ensure that our children have no harm done to them.”
Prosecutors emphasized the severity of May’s actions. “We’re talking about toddlers being raped,” assistant U.S. Attorney Elliott Daniels told the court. Daniels noted that May specifically sought out images of minors being sexually abused by their parents, and that he revictimized these children each time he reshared these files.
Federal authorities also discovered troubling videos recorded by May himself, apparently showing him sexually abusing women in Colombia. The footage, captured with a camera mounted on May’s head, showed him with his hands around one woman’s throat while another was in tears. Despite spending a month overseas attempting to locate these potentially underage victims, investigators were unable to find them.
“We do think it shows RJ May was a hands-on abuser. We do think it shows predatory and violent physical sex. He’s not just a guy on a screen,” Daniels said. Judge Currie considered these videos in determining a sentence within the middle range of federal guidelines.
In his 15-minute statement to the court, May apologized briefly to his victims while attributing his behavior to pornography addiction and excessive screen time. He claimed his downward spiral began when testosterone treatments increased his sex drive, leading him to seek increasingly extreme content when feeling lonely at night.
“I was talking about moral decency by day and succumbed to moral indecency by night,” May told the court.
The investigation began after Kik reported May’s activities to authorities. Despite the platform’s promise of anonymity, it routinely shares suspicious content with law enforcement. May deleted the app immediately after receiving a notification from Kik, but investigators had already obtained the evidence.
May had sought a more lenient five-year sentence, pointing to personal losses including his political career, six-figure consulting job, marriage, and reputation. “It took me nearly 40 years to build a life I’m proud of. And I destroyed it in an instant. But I can rebuild it again,” May said in an apology note to the judge.
His defense included seven letters from relatives describing how he had overcome childhood abuse and earned a scholarship to study Middle Eastern Studies at the American University in Dubai. His father offered May employment and housing on his Virginia farm following his eventual release.
The prosecution countered with victim impact statements describing the lifelong trauma of abuse. One victim, who was a toddler when the abuse occurred, continues to receive hundreds of notifications yearly that her video is involved in new criminal investigations.
May’s sentencing requires him to pay $58,500 in restitution and serve 20 years of probation following his release. As a convicted felon, he loses voting rights and cannot own firearms. He must also register as a sex offender.
Family members, including May’s father and sister, attended the sentencing. They expressed their inability to comprehend his actions while affirming their love and support. May reportedly kept his head down throughout most of the proceedings, only looking up when his sister directly addressed him with “I love you RJ.”
The third-term representative had resigned from the South Carolina House following his arrest. Prior to the scandal, May had positioned himself as a hardline conservative, frequently criticizing fellow Republicans for being insufficiently right-wing.
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8 Comments
It’s deeply disturbing to see someone who claimed to be an advocate for children involved in such heinous crimes. This case underscores the need for rigorous vetting and continuous monitoring of public officials to ensure their actions match their rhetoric.
This case highlights the need for rigorous background checks and ongoing oversight of public officials, especially those involved in child welfare legislation. Clearly, there were major lapses that allowed this individual to continue his criminal activities. Reform is needed to prevent such travesties in the future.
I agree completely. Stronger safeguards and accountability measures must be put in place to ensure public servants are living up to their duty to protect the vulnerable, not abuse them.
Sadly, we’ve seen too many cases of public figures involved in child exploitation. It’s a betrayal of the public trust and the vulnerable children they are meant to protect. I’m glad the judge delivered a strong sentence to hold this individual accountable.
I agree. These types of crimes deserve the strictest penalties. Lawmakers should be held to the highest standards when it comes to protecting children.
The hypocrisy of this case is truly appalling. For someone in a position of power and responsibility to engage in such abusive and criminal behavior is absolutely unacceptable. I hope this sends a clear message that no one is above the law when it comes to exploiting minors.
This is a truly disturbing and hypocritical case. The irony of a lawmaker who claimed to advocate for child protection being convicted of such heinous crimes is sickening. I hope the victims find some solace in the lengthy sentence handed down.
This is a truly tragic and reprehensible case. The fact that a lawmaker tasked with protecting children was instead exploiting and abusing them is a profound betrayal of the public trust. I hope the victims find some solace in the lengthy sentence and that this serves as a wake-up call for stronger oversight of public officials.