Jailhouse texts show accused child porn distributor RJ May worries, will fight
Jailhouse texts from accused child sex abuser and former SC lawmaker Robert “RJ” May III show a Bible-quoting man with numerous woes — about money, about getting a lawyer, about legal strategy, and about what people think of him.
“I’d never hurt your kids or mine,” May, 38, a married father of two young children, told one unidentified person he texted June 25, a day after he was given a taxpayer-funded lawyer by U.S. Magistrate Judge Shiva Hodges.
The person had texted May about the charges against him. “You have no idea the depth of pain, heartbreak, and brokenness you have caused — specifically your parents and sister. ... We don’t even know if we should fear that our kids have somehow been involved in this mess.”
Earlier in June, during a hearing to determine whether May would stay in jail while he waited for trial, Magistrate Judge Hodges specifically cited the potential danger of May to any and all children as a reason to deny May bond. Federal prosecutor Scott Matthews had argued that May “has a sexual interest in children the same age as his own children.”
“I am concerned about the danger to the community, specifically to Mr. May’s own minor children, as well as to other children who are somebody’s children,” Hodges said June 12 as she denied him bond.
May has pleaded not guilty.
May, a high-profile, hard-right Republican who resigned his seat in the S.C. House of Representatives earlier this month, is being held without bond at the Edgefield County jail on 10 federal counts of distributing child sexual abuse material, also known as child pornography. He was indicted by a federal grand jury and charged after an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations and has been in jail ever since.
Evidence in his case filed in federal court alleges he shared on the internet’s social messaging app Kik “220 different videos about 479 times over five days around early April 2024.”
May’s next court appearance is Wednesday, Aug. 20, at the Columbia federal courthouse. It will be his third appearance in a public courtroom since June 12, when he was arraigned at the Columbia federal courthouse and first denied bond.
The texts
In the texts, a friend also tells May about a lawyer named Aimee (apparently Aimee Zmroczek, a Columbia lawyer who has represented defendants in high-profile cases and has a reputation for fighting hard), who will likely charge him $100,000 to be his attorney, as well as another $15,000 for an expert who can review the government’s digital evidence. Zmroczek declined comment.
“LOL (laugh out loud),” May replies. “Not gonna happen, unless she’s some wonder woman who only handles these types of cases at the federal level.... 100k is a lot ... and more than Dayne. I could put both kids through college with that.” Dayne Phillips, a private attorney, was May’s initial lawyer, but he no longer represents May.
In a June 19 text, May ruminates on using a taxpayer-supported public defender lawyer, texting a friend, “federal public defenders are generally pretty good.” He indicates he might be able to scrape together $100,000 but doesn’t want to deplete all his family’s assets. “I won’t do that to them.”
May eventually settled on a public defender and is now represented by attorneys Jenny Smith and Jeremy Thompson in the federal public defender’s office in Columbia.
In the jail, he is exploring possible defenses.
“I think I might be the only person indicted for csam (child sex abuse material) without a trace of it on my devices. Digital forensics just don’t work like that. There would be a fragment or thumbnail or (something),” May writes.
He also asks a friend to “google if (you) can find a case with no confession and no stuff on devices.”
At May’s June 12 hearing, his first lawyer Phillips floated the possibility that an unknown person hacked into May’s home Wi-Fi and cellphone and used them as a platform to post child sex abuse videos on the internet. Digital evidence in the case shows direct links between the internet postings and May’s smartphone and home address, according to a lengthy court filing in his case.
Evidence against May made public by federal prosecutors alleges that long before he was indicted in June, all traces of alleged child porn was deleted from his digital devices. Federal agents first seized May’s digital devices last summer.
Also on June 19, an apparent relative of May’s refers to the defendant’s wife, Beth. “She is still in shock, as we all are ... We’ve been so worried for you and we love you. I’ve been continuing to pray for you often.”
Money concerns
On the texts, May also discusses selling his pickup truck for up to $30,000 to raise money and sharing his income tax situation with his wife, with whom he is apparently communicating with through third parties, according to the texts. He says his wife should have access to all his money and accounts and he doesn’t need that much money in jail. “I just need enough to survive.”
On July 1, May texted an unidentified person, “Give my kids big hugs and kisses. You dont have to tell them it’s from me, but hold them a second or 2 longer for me. i miss them so much.”
On July 7, May texted about his inner life and how he passes time in jail.
Bible reading
Since being sent to the Edgefield County Detention Center, May has only had legal visits and no personal visits, according to jail records.
One of those was from state Rep. Ryan McCabe, R-Lexington, who is a lawyer and a member of the S.C. House Freedom Caucus. McCabe previously described May as “demoralized,” but thought he was OK after seeing him on June 17.
“I miss my family dearly and cry every time i think about them,” May wrote on July 7. ” But I’m reading the Bible every day. Completed the new testament front to back. The old testament is hard reading when compared.
“I’m working out 3 times a day in my room — yoga, push ups, sit up, squats, whatever. Down probably 20-30 lbs but mostly bc of the food. I’m writing a lot to stay mentally sharp — mostly doing research about my case. So my heart yearns for my family. My soul is filled with a few hours of Bible reading, and my mind is occupied enough with writing, crosswords, word searches. i could be a lot worse.”
May added, “I came across proverbs 17:17. a friend loves at all times, but a brother (sister) is born for adversity. Fitting. I love yall. Don’t worry about me, I’m holding up. Y’all take care of yourselfs. i know this is hard for everybody.”
On July 18, May reveals an encounter with a jail-provided mental health conselor.
“They do have mental health counselors you can talk with over video chat (when the internet works) but they are monitored and recorded and you have a corrections officer in the room. I tried it once but too personal to have it recorded and someone standing behind you.”
On July 22, a family member sends May a Bible quote from Psalms: “The Lord is my Rock, my fortress and my Savior. He is my shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety.” May replies, “Thank you. I’ll read that a few times when i pray tonight. I am crying out to the lord. and i know he hears me.”
May also writes about being emotionally overcome whenever he tries to write to his young son. “I’ve sat down to try so many times but get so overwhelmed and start bawling.”
On July 29, May gets a text: “You doing ok? (House) Ethics committee has hired a lawyer and all members of FC (Freedom Caucus) are being interviewed and investigated. Rumor is that session will be called early September to expel you from House.”
May, who helped form the ultra conservative Freedom Caucus in the S.C. House, replies, “What is Freedom Caucus being investigated for? Everyone should be clean on financials.... yeah, I got served the other (day) by (the) S.C. House. Let them, I suppose.”
Dozens of May’s texts were obtained from the Edgefield County detention center by a Freedom of Information Act request by The State newspaper. They have been lightly edited for spelling, punctuation and grammar.
After May’s arrest, House Majority Leader Davey Hiott, R-Pickens, filed a complaint with the House Ethics Committee against May to start the process of expelling him from office. Hiott told The State a review of his complaint will continue even though May has resigned from office. The ethics committee has not confirmed it is investigating May’s alleged actions, but it has opened an investigation into a charge of conduct unbecoming a member.
May’s attorney, federal public defender Smith, could not be reached.
Federal Judge Cameron McGowan Currie is presiding over the case.
(Reporter Joseph Bustos contributed to this story.)
This story was originally published August 18, 2025 at 11:23 AM.