PICKENS — A Pickens man was denied bond after his arrest on two counts of sexual exploitation of a minor.

Lewis Sterling Eskew Sr., 43, of Sunny Lane in Pickens, faces two second-degree exploitation charges and is being held without bond at the Pickens County Detention Center, according to a news release issued Tuesday by Pickens County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy

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Chad Brooks.

On Friday, the Pickens County Sheriff’s Office received two cyber tips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children about a person in Pickens County uploading and sharing child sexual abuse material within a social media chat application, Brooks said.

The sheriff’s office’s special victims unit began an investigation and identified the suspected user of the social media platform, according to Brooks, who said investigators executed a search warrant at the suspect’s home.

Brooks said Eskew was found to be in possession of a cellphone that contained multiple files of child sexual abuse material during the search.

Eskew was arrested and charged with the two felony counts, which are each punishable by up to 10 years in prison.  The investigation is still ongoing.

Brooks said Eskew was currently out on bond with an electronic monitor for similar charges with the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office that originated in May 2023.

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