2 local men arrested in child sexual exploitation cases

AIKEN, S.C. (WRDW/WAGT) - Two local men have been arrested in separate cases of child sexual exploitation, according to authorities.

Both were arrested after tips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

Edgefield County

South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson on Thursday announced the arrest of Richard Craig Stevens II, 22, of Edgefield, on 11 charges connected to the sexual exploitation of minors.

Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force investigators with the Edgefield County Sheriff’s Office made the arrest.

Stevens was arrested Monday and is charged with 11 counts of third-degree sexual exploitation of a minor, a felony offense punishable by up to 10 years imprisonment on each count.

Aiken County

Authorities have arrested a Warrenville man on five counts of sexual exploitation of minors.

Kenneth Dale Smith, 47, of Warrenville, was arrested after a tip led investigators to Smith.

Investigators say Smith possessed files of child sexual abuse material.

Smith was arrested March 8 and charged with five counts of sexual exploitation of a minor third degree, a felony offense punishable by up to 10 years imprisonment on each count.

He remained in Aiken County jail on Wednesday with bond set at $5,000 for each count.

The case will be prosecuted by the office of South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson.