Politics in South Carolina usually moves at a predictable, somewhat sleepy pace. You have the typical debates over the budget, some back-and-forth on social issues, and the usual primary season posturing. But the story of Robert John May III—or RJ May as he was known in the State House—took a turn so dark and so fast that it left even the most cynical political observers in Columbia completely stunned.
It's one of those cases where the "public face" and the "private reality" weren't just different; they were light-years apart.
Most people knew him as the firebrand co-founder of the South Carolina Freedom Caucus. He was a guy who built his entire brand on "traditional values" and "protecting the innocent." Then came the federal indictment in June 2025. Honestly, the details that emerged from the U.S. Attorney’s office weren’t just surprising—they were stomach-turning.
The Downfall of RJ May
The timeline of this collapse is incredibly compressed. On June 10, 2025, a federal grand jury in Greenville handed down a 10-count indictment. By the next morning, May was arrested at his home in West Columbia. He wasn't just some random staffer; he was a sitting legislator representing District 88 in Lexington County.
The Speaker of the House suspended him almost immediately. It’s hard to overstate how much of a "gut punch" this was to the local GOP. May had just won his primary election for re-election the day before the indictment was made public. Imagine that: winning a vote of confidence from your neighbors on Tuesday and being in federal handcuffs by Wednesday.
The Kik Account and the "Cyber Tip"
How do you even get caught doing something like this? It started with a "cyber tip" from the messaging app Kik. In May 2024, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) flagged a username that is almost too bizarre to believe: joebidennnn69.
Federal investigators didn't take long to trace the digital breadcrumbs. They linked the IP address to May’s home Wi-Fi. They found that over a specific five-day window in early 2024, hundreds of videos—more than 470, actually—were distributed from that account.
The contrast is what really gets you. Prosecutors noted that May was reportedly sending these horrific videos while simultaneously going about his daily legislative business and chatting with his family. It wasn’t a separate life; it was happening in the gaps of his "normal" one.
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The Evidence That Sealed the Case
Sometimes there’s a "he-said, she-said" element to these high-profile arrests. Not here. The forensic evidence was basically a mountain. When Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) raided his home in August 2024, they seized 35 electronic devices.
Think about that number for a second. Thirty-five devices.
Analysts found that even though the Kik app had been deleted, the "user dictionary" on his phone—that's the feature that remembers things you type often—still had the term "joebidennnn" saved in it. They also found that the email used to register the account was one of his.
A Quick Plea and a Long Sentence
By late 2025, the writing was on the wall. Robert John May III didn't drag this out into a long, drawn-out trial. He pleaded guilty in September 2025 to five counts of distributing child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
On January 14, 2026, the hammer finally dropped.
Judge Cameron McGowan Currie sentenced May to 17 years and 6 months in federal prison. It wasn't just the time, though. He’s also facing:
- Lifetime supervised release after he gets out.
- Mandatory registration as a sex offender.
- Restitution payments to the victims depicted in the videos.
The U.S. Attorney for South Carolina, Bryan Stirling, called the conduct "depraved." It’s a word that’s been used a lot in this case, and for good reason. The videos involved toddlers. They involved extreme pain. It’s the kind of stuff that makes you want to look away, but for the justice system, it meant a nearly two-decade sentence.
Why This Case Matters Beyond the Headlines
You might wonder why a local state representative's downfall is getting this much national attention in early 2026. It's because of the Freedom Caucus connection. May wasn't just a member; he was a leader in a movement that prided itself on moral clarity.
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When the news broke, his own caucus didn't just distance themselves; they called for his expulsion before he even resigned. His resignation finally came on August 11, 2025, in a short letter where he said it was "in the best interest of my family and constituents."
The fallout has left a vacuum in Lexington County politics. It’s also forced a lot of people to look at how we vet candidates. How does someone with this kind of "digital shadow" make it through multiple election cycles?
Actionable Insights for Digital Safety
While this story is about a specific person, Robert John May III, it highlights a broader reality of the digital age. Law enforcement is getting much better at tracking peer-to-peer distribution on "anonymous" apps.
If you are a parent or just a concerned citizen, there are a few things to keep in mind regarding these types of investigations:
- NCMEC is active: The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children works directly with tech companies. If something is flagged, it will be sent to local law enforcement.
- IP addresses aren't invisible: People often think using a pseudonym or a burner app makes them anonymous. As this case shows, your home Wi-Fi and your device's "internal dictionary" are permanent records.
- The "Hidden" Apps: Apps like Kik have long been scrutinized for being havens for this type of activity. Monitoring the types of apps installed on family devices is more critical than ever.
The case of RJ May is effectively closed. He’s now an inmate, not a lawmaker. But the shockwaves in South Carolina's political circles will likely be felt for the next decade. It’s a stark reminder that the person behind the podium isn't always who they claim to be.
Practical Next Steps
For those following the legislative fallout in South Carolina, keep an eye on the special elections and the shifting leadership within the Freedom Caucus. The seat for District 88 has been filled by John Lastinger, but the trust gap in that district remains wide.
If you're looking for resources on how these federal investigations work or how to report suspicious digital activity, the Department of Justice's Project Safe Childhood website is the primary hub for this information. They provide the most accurate data on how "cyber tips" transition into federal indictments.
The story of Robert John May III is a tragedy of the highest order—not for the man who was sentenced, but for the victims involved and the community that placed its trust in him.