Lexington Republican state Rep. Robert John “RJ” May III, 38, of West Columbia, who represents South Carolina’s 88th District in Lexington County, has been indicted on 10 counts of distributing child sexual abuse material.

He has been suspended without pay from the House, per state law, as of Thursday pending the case’s outcome, according to a letter from the Office of the S.C. Speaker of the House, Murrell Smith.

In April 2024, according to a release from the Department of Justice, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received a cyber tip from the messaging app Kik, which flagged numerous videos from a user named “joebidennnn69” for containing child sexual abuse material.

After receiving the tip, investigators are said to have connected the account’s IP address and mobile device to May and uncovered at least 10 videos depicting child sexual abuse that were shared from the account. 

May faces a minimum sentence of five years and a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison, according to a media release. He also faces a fine of $250,000 and at least five years of supervised release following any prison term.

“The term 'child pornography' is currently used in federal statutes and is defined as any visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct involving a person less than 18 years old. While this phrase still appears in federal law, 'child sexual abuse material' is preferred, as it better reflects the abuse that is depicted in the images and videos and the resulting trauma to the child,” the press release explained.

May's profile on the State House website lists him as the founder and owner of Ivory Tusk Consulting. He was born in Newport News, Va., and attended the University of South Carolina and later Tel Aviv University.  He is affiliated with the National Rifle Association, is a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar and is the former executive director for the South Carolina Club for Growth.

He is also a founding member of the conservative House Freedom Caucus.

He started in office in November 2020, and his current term was set to end in November 2026. He was re-elected to his seat in the 2024 general election after running unopposed and earning 92.18% of ballots cast.

The media release from the Department of Justice said that all charges are accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Scott Matthews and Dean Secor are prosecuting the case, along with Austin M. Berry of the Department of Justice’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section.

This case was part of Project Safe Childhood, an initiative launched in 2006 by the U.S. Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.

Led by U.S. attorneys’ offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources.

On June 13, S.C. Attorney General Alan Wilson released the following statement: "Yesterday, the U.S. Attorney’s Office brought federal indictments against State Representative RJ May for 10 counts related to the possession and distribution of Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM). The federal judge denied bond and he will remain in custody until trial.

"This case was investigated by our federal partners, HSI, and the U.S Attorney’s Office, who are members of the South Carolina Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. Not all cyber tips are handled directly by the SC Attorney General's Office specifically, as in this case, where there were multiple defendants and victims across state and international borders. Let me be clear: absolutely no one is above the law. I have dedicated my career to protecting children and anyone who exploits them deserves to be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law."