Man charged with ‘heinous’ crimes involving animals & children, SC attorney general says
A Lexington man was charged with multiple sex crimes involving children and animals, the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office said Monday.
Charles Kevin Bourne, 58, was charged with two counts of second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor, in addition to one count of buggery, S.C. Attorney General Alan Wilson said in a news release.
Bourne became the target of an investigation following a CyberTipline report from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, according to the release.
The investigation showed that Bourne distributed files of child sexual abuse material (also known as child pornography), and had sex with animals, the S.C. Attorney General’s Office said.
Bourne was arrested Aug. 16, according to the release. He’s not listed on the Lexington County Detention Center’s inmate roster, and there was no word on bond.
If convicted on the charges of felony sexual exploitation of a minor, Bourne faces a maximum punishment of 10 years in prison for each count, according to South Carolina law. A conviction on the felony buggery charge, which South Carolina lawmakers defined as an “abominable crime,” carries a maximum sentence of 5 years in prison, according to state law.
The case was investigated by members of the S.C. Attorney General’s Office, U.S. Marshals Service, Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department assisted with the arrest, according to the release.
The S.C. Attorney General’s Office will prosecute the case it said involved “heinous and abusive crimes.”
BEHIND THE STORY
MOREThis is a breaking news story
In a breaking news situation, facts can be unclear and the situation may still be developing. The State is trying to get important information to the public as quickly and accurately as possible. This story will be updated as more information becomes available, and some information in this story may change as the facts become clearer. Refresh this page later for more updated information.
