The release of information under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) has cast a spotlight on South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson and the handling of child exploitation cases in Dorchester County. U.S. Representative Nancy Mace (R-SC) has brought attention to the documents, which show a strikingly low conviction rate, suggesting a systemic failure to protect local children.
Between 2019 and 2022, Wilson's office reviewed 385 warrants related to child pornography and sexual exploitation. Out of these, merely 29 resulted in convictions, translating to a conviction rate of approximately 7.5 percent. This stark figure contrasts with the 356 cases dismissed without reaching trial, leaving the accused individuals free, potentially continuing to pose a threat to the community.
The documents in question were part of the budget request for the First Circuit Solicitor’s office for 2022–2023, which detailed frustrations from law enforcement over perceived leniency from the Attorney General’s office. Sentences were often reduced to probation or time served, and not a single case went before a jury during the period in focus. Additionally, the unresolved cases, numbering 324 and averaging 740 days pending, represent nearly a tenth of the county's General Sessions docket, according to The Gateway Pundit.
In response to the growing criticism, Wilson's office has pushed back, labeling Mace's statements as "deceptive" and asserting that the statistics misleadingly conflate individual charges with the number of cases. Officials argue that of the 42 cases concluded from 2019 to 2022, 30 ended with guilty pleas, eight were dismissed, three were handed over to federal authorities, and one was closed due to the offender's death.
This explanation, however, has not tempered the outrage. Rep. Mace has plans to take the issue further by preparing a formal letter to the U.S. Department of Justice, seeking an independent audit of Wilson's management of Internet Crimes Against Children cases. Sydney Long, Mace’s communications director, stated, “The Attorney General can spin the numbers, but he can’t spin the truth.”
The dispute underscores a broader debate over prosecutorial discretion versus public safety, with critics suggesting that frequent dismissals and lenient plea agreements undermine confidence in the justice system and leave vulnerable populations, like children, at risk. Wilson's office contends that it operates within the confines of legal standards and standard prosecutorial procedures, emphasizing that it's the judges who determine outcomes, not the prosecutors.
The controversy is not confined to local exchanges; it has attracted attention at the federal level, reflecting the complexities of prosecuting child exploitation cases and the need for a delicate balance between enforcement and accountability. As the scrutiny intensifies, the Attorney General's office is likely to face further examination of its protocols and decision-making processes in these high-stakes cases.
