South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson announced the arrest of Justin Brian Villella, Jr. (age 27) of  West Columbia, SC, on one charge connected to the exploitation of a minor.  Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force investigators with the Lexington County Sheriff’s Office made the arrest.  Investigators with the Attorney General's Office, also a member of the state's ICAC Task Force, assisted with this investigation.

Investigators received a CyberTipline report from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) which led them to Villella. Investigators state Villella distributed child pornography.  

Villella was arrested on July 14, 2018.  He is charged with one count of sexual exploitation of a minor, second degree (§16-15-405), a felony offense punishable by up to ten years imprisonment.

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

Attorney General Wilson stressed all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until they are proven guilty in a court of law.