By Tony Kukulich
A 19-year-old Lady’s Island resident was arrested after an investigation uncovered evidence leading to charges of exploitation of a minor.
Andrew Graves turned himself in to investigators in Beaufort, Thursday, July 21. He was arrested and booked into the Beaufort County Detention Center. A Beaufort County magistrate set Graves’ bond at $30,000 and, according to county records, he was released several hours later.
The Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) began its investigation after receiving leads from the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC). Those leads indicated that images of child sexual abuse were being uploaded to social media sites from computers or electronic devices by an unknown subject on Lady’s Island.
The BCSO investigation determined the specific address where the images had been uploaded, and warrants to search that address were obtained from a Beaufort County magistrate.
Investigators served the search warrant at the residence on June 23 and seized numerous devices. Graves was identified as the subject responsible for uploading the imagery through preliminary examinations of the devices and interviews of people at the residence.
Graves was at a summer camp in Clarendon County when the search was conducted. Investigators contacted agents from the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division to assist with his apprehension. When agents arrived at the camp, Graves was gone.
In the weeks that followed, investigators were in contact with an attorney retained by Graves. During those contacts, additional electronic devices belonging to Graves were seized.
Investigators also served a search warrant for Graves’ email account. That search uncovered a large quantity of child sexual abuse imagery, leading investigators to obtain warrants for Graves’ arrest for three counts of sexual exploitation of a minor second degree and three counts of sexual exploitation of a minor third degree.
Graves’ attorney was advised of the outstanding arrest warrants and arrangements were made for Graves to turn himself in.
Further examinations of Graves’ computers and electronic devices will be conducted by the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office and may lead to additional criminal charges.
Graves’ prosecution on all criminal charges stemming from this ICAC investigation will be handled by the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office.
Tony Kukulich is a recent transplant to the Lowcountry. A native of Wilmington, Del., he comes to The Island News from the San Francisco Bay Area where he spent seven years as a reporter and photographer for several publications. He can be reached at tony.theislandnews@gmail.com.
