Topline: A former Rock Hill teacher is facing a five-count federal indictment after prosecutors said investigators found hundreds of child sexual abuse material files tied to his phone and Kik accounts.
Published: August 12, 2026 4:04 pm ET
Shawn Fletcher
Committed to the craft of journalism and am driven by my desire to inform and inspire.
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Douglas Melvin MacAlpine (via York County Detention Center)
COLUMBIA, SC — A former Rock Hill teacher has been indicted on five federal counts accusing him of possessing and distributing child sexual abuse material, with prosecutors alleging he used the Kik social media app to send illicit files and kept hundreds more on his phone and accounts.
According to a U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina press release, Douglas Melvin MacAlpine, 38, of York, is accused of using Kik at least four times in the fall of 2024 to distribute files containing child sexual abuse material to other users.
Prosecutors said subsequent state and federal search warrants found hundreds of child sexual abuse material files in MacAlpine’s cell phone and Kik accounts. The indictment also alleges he possessed child sexual abuse material in March 2025.
MacAlpine faces up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, special assessments of up to $40,000, lifetime supervision, and sex offender registry requirements if convicted. He is currently being held pending trial. The case was investigated by the FBI Columbia Field Office and the York County Sheriff’s Office, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Matthews is prosecuting it as part of Project Safe Childhood.
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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Former Rock Hill Teacher Indicted in Federal Child Sexual Abuse Material Case
A former Rock Hill teacher is facing a five-count federal indictment after prosecutors said investigators found hundreds of child sexual abuse material files tied to his phone and Kik accounts.
By Shawn Fletcher
Published: August 12, 2026 4:04 pm ET
Douglas Melvin MacAlpine (via York County Detention Center)
COLUMBIA, SC — A former Rock Hill teacher has been indicted on five federal counts accusing him of possessing and distributing child sexual abuse material, with prosecutors alleging he used the Kik social media app to send illicit files and kept hundreds more on his phone and accounts.
According to a U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina press release, Douglas Melvin MacAlpine, 38, of York, is accused of using Kik at least four times in the fall of 2024 to distribute files containing child sexual abuse material to other users.
Prosecutors said subsequent state and federal search warrants found hundreds of child sexual abuse material files in MacAlpine’s cell phone and Kik accounts. The indictment also alleges he possessed child sexual abuse material in March 2025.
MacAlpine faces up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, special assessments of up to $40,000, lifetime supervision, and sex offender registry requirements if convicted. He is currently being held pending trial. The case was investigated by the FBI Columbia Field Office and the York County Sheriff’s Office, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Matthews is prosecuting it as part of Project Safe Childhood.
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
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Former Rock Hill Teacher Indicted in Federal Child Sexual Abuse Material Case
A former Rock Hill teacher is facing a five-count federal indictment after prosecutors said investigators found hundreds of child sexual abuse material files tied to his phone and Kik accounts.
By Shawn Fletcher
Published: August 12, 2026 4:04 pm ET
Douglas Melvin MacAlpine (via York County Detention Center)
COLUMBIA, SC — A former Rock Hill teacher has been indicted on five federal counts accusing him of possessing and distributing child sexual abuse material, with prosecutors alleging he used the Kik social media app to send illicit files and kept hundreds more on his phone and accounts.
According to a U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina press release, Douglas Melvin MacAlpine, 38, of York, is accused of using Kik at least four times in the fall of 2024 to distribute files containing child sexual abuse material to other users.
Prosecutors said subsequent state and federal search warrants found hundreds of child sexual abuse material files in MacAlpine’s cell phone and Kik accounts. The indictment also alleges he possessed child sexual abuse material in March 2025.
MacAlpine faces up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, special assessments of up to $40,000, lifetime supervision, and sex offender registry requirements if convicted. He is currently being held pending trial. The case was investigated by the FBI Columbia Field Office and the York County Sheriff’s Office, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Matthews is prosecuting it as part of Project Safe Childhood.
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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