A Lexington County man who solicited and engaged in sexual activity with a minor was sentenced to 10 years in prison.

State Attorney General Alan Wilson’s office announced the sentencing of Henry Richard Leeder, Jr., who was 55 at the time of his arrest in 2019. He was convicted of second degree criminal sexual conduct with a minor and criminal solicitation of a minor.

“On October 11, 2019, a citizen reported to the Lexington County Sheriff’s Office that she discovered text messages between her 15-year-old son and an adult male, where the adult propositioned the minor for sexual activity and solicited and sent explicit images and videos,” a release from the attorney general’s office states.

Subsequent investigation revealed Leeder as the person who sent the messages, and the victim confirmed that the two met on a social media site and that he informed Leeder of his age. 

“The defendant then arranged to meet the victim at a location in Lexington County and on September 3, 2019, the defendant engaged in sexual activity with the victim,” the release sates. “After the event, Leeder continued to talk to the minor via text and additional images and discussions regarding future sexual activity continued throughout the month. Investigators executed a search warrant on Leeder’s residence in Lexington County, where he admitted to meeting with the minor for sexual activity. At that time, investigators seized Leeder’s cell phone. Forensic Examiner Richard Cominos of the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office conducted a forensic examination of the phone and found texts between Leeder and the minor.”

Leeder must register as a Tier 2 sex offender. He received two days credit for time served on his sentence.