David Taylor Hawkins, 25, of Gaston has been charged with sexual exploitation of a minor.

Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force investigators with the Lexington County Sheriff's Office made the arrest. 

Investigators with the Attorney General Alan Wilsonms office assisted with this investigation.

Investigators received a CyberTipline report from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children leading them to Hawkins.

Investigators state Hawkins encouraged a minor victim send sexually explicit images, solicited a minor victim to engage in sex and sent sexually explicit images to a minor victim.

Hawkins is charged with 1 count of sexual exploitation of a minor, 1st degree, a felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison; 1 count of criminal solicitation of a minor, a felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison and 1 count of disseminating obscene material to a person under age 18, a felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison.

The case will be prosecuted by the Attorney General's Office.