Topline: Authorities traced the username “joebidennnn69” to Rep. R.J. May III’s personal devices, leading to a federal indictment.
Published: June 15, 2025 8:00 am ET
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South Carolina State Rep. Robert John “R.J.” May III (via SC State House)
COLUMBIA, SC — South Carolina State Representative Robert John “R.J.” May III is facing federal child exploitation charges after a grand jury in Greenville returned a 10-count indictment accusing him of distributing child sexual abuse material.
According to a press release from the U.S. Department of Justice, the 38-year-old Lexington County lawmaker was linked to an online account that shared at least 10 videos depicting child sexual abuse.
The case stems from a cyber-tip initially submitted to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) in April 2024 by the messaging platform Kik.
Kik flagged videos uploaded by the user “joebidennnn69,” which were later traced to an IP address and mobile device belonging to May. Prosecutors allege the materials were exchanged between March 30 and April 4, 2024, a period during which, according to investigators, May sent and received more than 1,100 messages, some of which involved discussions about trading exploitative content.
WLTX reports that once the cyber-tip was received in May 2024, the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office tasked the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department with investigating the matter. A search warrant was issued for the Kik account in late June, and by mid-July, investigators had obtained the subscriber information. Authorities said forensic analysis later confirmed the account’s connection to May’s home internet network and his personal cell phone.
Court documents obtained by WLTX reveal that on April 4—the last day of the alleged activity—the Kik, Telegram, and Mega accounts linked to the investigation were all deleted within seconds of one another. Prosecutors claim May discussed both Telegram and Mega platforms in messages sent via Kik, suggesting he may have used the apps to share or store illicit material.
Federal agents executed a search warrant at May’s residence on August 5, 2024. According to filings reviewed by WLTX, investigators uncovered an email address linked to the Kik account and other evidence suggesting the lawmaker was engaging in explicit communications while going about the routines of political life and family interactions.
The indictment was officially handed down on June 10, 2025. May was arrested this week and is currently being held at the Lexington County Detention Center. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and up to 20 years in federal prison. He could also be fined $250,000 and would be subject to at least five years of supervised release following any term of incarceration.
The content described in court filings is said to be highly graphic. Due to the nature of the material, prosecutors did not publicly release the footage but included written summaries of the acts depicted, which involved minors.
Following the announcement of the charges, South Carolina House Speaker Murrell Smith suspended May from the legislature without pay, stating the suspension would remain in place pending resolution of the federal case. If May is convicted, his seat would be officially declared vacant.
May, a Republican representing District 88 in Lexington County, was first elected to the South Carolina House in 2021 and won reelection unopposed in 2024. He is one of the founding members of the South Carolina Freedom Caucus, a far-right faction of the state GOP, and previously served as its vice chair.
As of Friday, no public statement had been issued by May or his legal counsel.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
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GOP Lawmaker Charged in Disturbing Federal Child Exploitation Case
Authorities traced the username “joebidennnn69” to Rep. R.J. May III’s personal devices, leading to a federal indictment.
By Jacob Charles
Published: June 15, 2025 8:00 am ET
South Carolina State Rep. Robert John “R.J.” May III (via SC State House)
COLUMBIA, SC — South Carolina State Representative Robert John “R.J.” May III is facing federal child exploitation charges after a grand jury in Greenville returned a 10-count indictment accusing him of distributing child sexual abuse material.
According to a press release from the U.S. Department of Justice, the 38-year-old Lexington County lawmaker was linked to an online account that shared at least 10 videos depicting child sexual abuse.
The case stems from a cyber-tip initially submitted to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) in April 2024 by the messaging platform Kik.
Kik flagged videos uploaded by the user “joebidennnn69,” which were later traced to an IP address and mobile device belonging to May. Prosecutors allege the materials were exchanged between March 30 and April 4, 2024, a period during which, according to investigators, May sent and received more than 1,100 messages, some of which involved discussions about trading exploitative content.
WLTX reports that once the cyber-tip was received in May 2024, the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office tasked the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department with investigating the matter. A search warrant was issued for the Kik account in late June, and by mid-July, investigators had obtained the subscriber information. Authorities said forensic analysis later confirmed the account’s connection to May’s home internet network and his personal cell phone.
Court documents obtained by WLTX reveal that on April 4—the last day of the alleged activity—the Kik, Telegram, and Mega accounts linked to the investigation were all deleted within seconds of one another. Prosecutors claim May discussed both Telegram and Mega platforms in messages sent via Kik, suggesting he may have used the apps to share or store illicit material.
Federal agents executed a search warrant at May’s residence on August 5, 2024. According to filings reviewed by WLTX, investigators uncovered an email address linked to the Kik account and other evidence suggesting the lawmaker was engaging in explicit communications while going about the routines of political life and family interactions.
The indictment was officially handed down on June 10, 2025. May was arrested this week and is currently being held at the Lexington County Detention Center. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and up to 20 years in federal prison. He could also be fined $250,000 and would be subject to at least five years of supervised release following any term of incarceration.
The content described in court filings is said to be highly graphic. Due to the nature of the material, prosecutors did not publicly release the footage but included written summaries of the acts depicted, which involved minors.
Following the announcement of the charges, South Carolina House Speaker Murrell Smith suspended May from the legislature without pay, stating the suspension would remain in place pending resolution of the federal case. If May is convicted, his seat would be officially declared vacant.
May, a Republican representing District 88 in Lexington County, was first elected to the South Carolina House in 2021 and won reelection unopposed in 2024. He is one of the founding members of the South Carolina Freedom Caucus, a far-right faction of the state GOP, and previously served as its vice chair.
As of Friday, no public statement had been issued by May or his legal counsel.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
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Editor Picks
Latest Articles
GOP Lawmaker Charged in Disturbing Federal Child Exploitation Case
Authorities traced the username “joebidennnn69” to Rep. R.J. May III’s personal devices, leading to a federal indictment.
By Jacob Charles
Published: June 15, 2025 8:00 am ET
South Carolina State Rep. Robert John “R.J.” May III (via SC State House)
COLUMBIA, SC — South Carolina State Representative Robert John “R.J.” May III is facing federal child exploitation charges after a grand jury in Greenville returned a 10-count indictment accusing him of distributing child sexual abuse material.
According to a press release from the U.S. Department of Justice, the 38-year-old Lexington County lawmaker was linked to an online account that shared at least 10 videos depicting child sexual abuse.
The case stems from a cyber-tip initially submitted to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) in April 2024 by the messaging platform Kik.
Kik flagged videos uploaded by the user “joebidennnn69,” which were later traced to an IP address and mobile device belonging to May. Prosecutors allege the materials were exchanged between March 30 and April 4, 2024, a period during which, according to investigators, May sent and received more than 1,100 messages, some of which involved discussions about trading exploitative content.
WLTX reports that once the cyber-tip was received in May 2024, the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office tasked the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department with investigating the matter. A search warrant was issued for the Kik account in late June, and by mid-July, investigators had obtained the subscriber information. Authorities said forensic analysis later confirmed the account’s connection to May’s home internet network and his personal cell phone.
Court documents obtained by WLTX reveal that on April 4—the last day of the alleged activity—the Kik, Telegram, and Mega accounts linked to the investigation were all deleted within seconds of one another. Prosecutors claim May discussed both Telegram and Mega platforms in messages sent via Kik, suggesting he may have used the apps to share or store illicit material.
Federal agents executed a search warrant at May’s residence on August 5, 2024. According to filings reviewed by WLTX, investigators uncovered an email address linked to the Kik account and other evidence suggesting the lawmaker was engaging in explicit communications while going about the routines of political life and family interactions.
The indictment was officially handed down on June 10, 2025. May was arrested this week and is currently being held at the Lexington County Detention Center. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and up to 20 years in federal prison. He could also be fined $250,000 and would be subject to at least five years of supervised release following any term of incarceration.
The content described in court filings is said to be highly graphic. Due to the nature of the material, prosecutors did not publicly release the footage but included written summaries of the acts depicted, which involved minors.
Following the announcement of the charges, South Carolina House Speaker Murrell Smith suspended May from the legislature without pay, stating the suspension would remain in place pending resolution of the federal case. If May is convicted, his seat would be officially declared vacant.
May, a Republican representing District 88 in Lexington County, was first elected to the South Carolina House in 2021 and won reelection unopposed in 2024. He is one of the founding members of the South Carolina Freedom Caucus, a far-right faction of the state GOP, and previously served as its vice chair.
As of Friday, no public statement had been issued by May or his legal counsel.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
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