Ex-Charleston magistrate judge pleads guilty to child sex abuse materials charge

A longtime Charleston County magistrate has pleaded guilty to federal child sexual abuse charges, a Thursday news release from the United States Department of Justice said.

James Benjamin Gosnell Jr., 69, pled guilty to charges of possessing and distributing child sexual abuse material July 2, the release said.

According to the release, Homeland Security investigators found thousands of CSAM videos on Gosnell’s devices, as well as text messages dating back to 2023 showing Gosnell had communicated with a man named John Thorpe in Florida and traveled to distribute the files.

The release said Gosnell and Thorpe discussed their preferences for minors over text, primarily the violent sexual abuse of infants and toddlers.

Bryan Stirling, the U.S. attorney for South Carolina, condemned Gosnell’s actions.

“Gosnell, a public official and judicial officer, was a man entrusted with carrying out justice in the Charleston community yet was doing the exact opposite,” Stirling said.

Gosnell faces a mandatory minimum prison sentence of five years in federal prison and a maximum penalty of 40 years. He will be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Richard Gergel after the judge reviews a sentencing report, the release said.

He will be required to register as a sex offender for life, and is also facing a fine of up to $250,000, restitution and up to lifetime supervision, the release said.

The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Katherine Orville and Emily Limehouse.