Blythewood Online 691

Tag: Fairfield County

  • Taylor: It was a very good year for Fairfield

    2019 Review: New Industries Brought Jobs, Investment to Fairfield County

    WINNSBORO –  A year and a half ago, a Lowcountry newspaper lamented Fairfield County’s double digit unemployment. What a difference a couple of years has made.

    Today, the county’s unemployment rate has shrunk to 3.1 percent and, according to County Administrator Jason Taylor, industrial prospects over the last couple of years have accounted for the creation of more than 700 new jobs and a $70 million impact.

    In fact, Fairfield County has completed one of its busiest years on record, with county leaders tackling a flotilla of projects and inking a number of important deals. The new year saw the opening of the Providence ER, complete with additional outpatient services. The transformation saves the county some $600,000 annually over the previous funding of the former Fairfield Memorial Hospital.

    Economic development, infrastructure improvements and revitalization highlight a laundry list of accomplishments that followed in 2019, and county officials say they plan to continue growing that list in 2020.

    County Council Chairman Neil Robinson said while much was accomplished in 2019, he predicted that 2020 could be a breakout year. He credited Taylor, who was hired a little over two years ago, for guiding the council’s directives to fruition.

    “His vision and knowledge of where we should be and how we get there surprises me every day,” Robinson said. “If Fairfield’s 2019 could be summed up in one word, it’s jobs.”

    Taylor agreed.

    “Between the various projects, it’s been a very good year for us,” Taylor said. “One of our responsibilities in local government is to improve the quality of people’s lives. A job is critical to someone having a good quality of life.”

    Taylor, council and county employees have taken that responsibility seriously and the results are popping up in various ways, not the least of which is a new, cooperative relationship between the county and the Town of Winnsboro – a far cry from the rancor that had for years stymied progress for the two governments.

    Bringing employment to the county is a trend county leaders hope to continue in 2020 as the result of groundwork laid the past couple of years in revitalization, water and sewer infrastructure and the acquisition of new industry.

    To that end, the county is working to expand its newly created Fairfield County Water Authority as well as construct a major wastewater treatment facility to serve the I-77 corridor and megasite, something Robinson says is vital in landing major industry on the order of Boeing, BMW or Mazda.

    Here’s a summary of the major projects Fairfield County tackled in 2019, as well as the forecast for 2020.

    Economic Development

    Mattresses move along a conveyor belt where they are inserted into mattress covers, then rolled up by another piece of equipment and packaged for shipping.

    MLILY, Pharmacy Lite Packaging and Sea Pro Boats are the latest industries to have commenced or announced operations in Fairfield County in 2019. More job announcements are anticipated in coming weeks, according to Robinson.

    “Landing MLILY was a major accomplishment,” Robinson said. “You’re talking about a $48 million investment into the county. That’s a lot of tax money coming to us.”

    Ty Davenport, Director of Fairfield County Economic Development, said Pharmacy Lite Packaging, which is launching operations in the former Wal-Mart building, represents a $2.9 million investment, though he thinks that figure will grow to $3.5 million in time.

    “It’s expected to create 33 new jobs, which we think in coming years will get up closer to around 100,” he said.

    Just before Christmas, the county authorized an agreement with Victory Boats, LLC, which is expanding to Fairfield County. Located in the former Fazio building on Hwy 34 near the Highway 321 bypass, the company brings with it a $3 million investment and 135 new jobs.

    “We also did a lot of work to save and help expand both Element and MEKRA Lang,” Taylor said.

    “If we continue to target industrial growth opportunities, commercial and residential growth should follow,” he said. “We were at 14 percent (unemployment) not too terribly long ago,” Taylor said. “The problem is a lot of people are driving outside the county to work. We have to have opportunities for people to work here at home. When people stay at home, they invest and shop here.”

    Water and Sewer Infrastructure

    Heavily linked to economic development is the improvement of the county’s infrastructure. Water and sewer are a top priority.

    In March, the county formed the Fairfield County Joint Water and Sewer Authority Commission. So far, the membership is made up of the county and the Town of Winnsboro.

    The authority is vital to the funding and construction of the wastewater treatment plant, which is seen as needed infrastructure by industry looking to relocate to Fairfield County.

    In 2020, the county hopes to place a sales tax referendum on the November ballot to help generate additional funds for the plant.

    “We’ve been working hard in conjunction with the Town of Winnsboro and the State of South Carolina to secure funds for the plant,” Taylor said. “Water and sewer are critical to our future development.”

    Over the past two years, the state has provided about $3.8 million to Fairfield County to cover costs associated with engineering and studies for the new plant.

    Robinson said council looked all across the county before securing a site off Syrup Mill Road for the plant. Piping would funnel wastewater from the megasite to the plant. It would then be discharged into Big Cedar Creek.

    Once we complete the wastewater treatment facility, that’s when we’re going to land that big deal,” Robinson said. “Those (deals) could mean hiring 1,500 to 2,000 employees.

    Accommodations, hospitality taxes

    The proposed local option sales tax referendum is separate from the county accommodations and hospitality taxes enacted in 2019.

    Expected annual revenue of about $250,000 from these taxes will be paid primarily by tourists. The revenue can be spent in a number of ways to benefit the town and county and their businesses. It can also be used to construct public meeting facilities, other enhancements and tourism services as well as entertainment events and capital projects that will attract tourist dollars to the town and county.

    The accommodation and hospitality tax revenue can also be used to pay indebtedness issued by the County for public purposes.

    In December, the Town of Winnsboro adopted a resolution allowing the two taxes to be collected (by the county) from businesses in the town as well.

    “We’ve overcome the last obstacle to implementing the accommodations and hospitality tax, and that will move forward shortly,” Taylor added.

    Airport upgrades

    An especially valuable commodity in the county’s economic development toolbox is the Fairfield County Airport, located off Hinnants Store Road in Winnsboro. But it was not always so before Taylor hired pilot Denise Bryant as director of the airport in 2017. Until then, the airport was deficient in many areas. The previous fuel farm technically didn’t comply with regulations set by the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC).

    “We found that our fuel farm and our tanks were not what they should be,” Taylor said. “They weren’t even licensed by DHEC. We have taken measures to remediate all of that.”

    During the last two years, Bryant has overseen the construction of a new state-of-the-art fuel farm that was completed in December.

    “The fuel farm is very attractive, well-done. It’s something to be proud of now,” Taylor said.

    Two, 12,000-gallon fuel tanks were installed. With the extra capacity, the airport can take in more fuel deliveries, which translates into lower costs.

    In addition, the pumps feature a card reader display and a second screen display large enough for pilots to view, even when they’re fueling their planes from the opposite side of their craft.

    “You can actually go to the other side of your plane to fuel and you can see the dollar amount of what’s going into your plane,” Bryant said.

    Bryant has also overseen other major upgrades including lighting and signage. The facility boasts a 5,000-foot runway and parallel taxiway, a modern terminal building with upgraded furnishings, a laser grade testing center, a pilot’s shop, flight instruction and new T-Hangars.

    In 2020, the county plans to resurface all of the airport’s ramps, taxiways and runways. The work is expected to start sometime in March or April, and take about a month to complete.

    Bryant said the federal government is covering 90 percent, or about $320,000 of the project. The county and state are each picking up 5 percent, or about $16,800 for their respective portions.

    “Upgrang and modernizing the airport is important because the facility is often the first impression CEOs of prospective industries have when they fly into Fairfield County,” Bryant said.

    “There’s a lot of general aviation traffic that comes into a community first, especially in the corporate world,” she said. “The general aviation airport in Fairfield is extremely important in putting down the welcome carpet.”

    Mt. Zion renovation

    Fairfield County spent much of 2018 putting together a plan to revitalize the former Mt. Zion Institute building to serve as a new Fairfield County government center in downtown Winnsboro.

    In 2019, the county devoted considerable efforts to working with the developer, 1st and Main, a North Carolina firm, to secure the financing for the renovation.

    More than half of the funding of the $11.5 million project would come from state and federal tax credits associated with the property.

    Fairfield County plans to buy the building via interest free annual lease payments of approximately $4.9 million over seven years. At the end of those seven years, the county will make a final payment to purchase and take ownership of the property from 1st and Main.

     “We got all the financing we were hoping we would get and a little more, actually. And all the design work is done,” Taylor said.

    The actual construction is slated to start in January 2020 and is expected to last 16 months, with a projected opening sometime in Spring, 2021.

    Market Building

    The launching of the Fairfield County Market building has helped increase foot traffic in downtown Winnsboro, which county officials hope will spill over to existing shops and restaurants.

    Opened in May, the Market is located in a renovated former county building located on East Washington behind the Town Clock. With a kitchen, classroom, restrooms and a large, open market room, the building can be used not only by the farmer’s market on Saturdays but for weddings, receptions and other large community or family gatherings.

    Zion Hill Revitalization

    During 2019, the county and Town of Winnsboro cooperatively undertook the revitalization of the Zion Hill and Fortune Springs Park neighborhoods, with input from the residents of the area. It is a major step forward in bringing this area back to its Glory days, county officials say.

    In November, the county landed the first of several planned grants to help pay for the project. The initial $488,000 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) will be augmented by a 10 percent ($48,900) local government match, giving the county more than $536,000 at its disposal to begin Phase I of the revitalization effort.

    That work will include the demolition and clearance of approximately 40 dilapidated and vacant structures, according to the Central Midlands Council of Governments’ (CMCOG) planners who are working with the county and town to guide and supervise the revitalization.

    The demolition work made possible by the bond will begin this spring and must be finished in two years. Both the town and the county are eligible to apply for two $500,000 bonds each year.

    At a community meeting in July, Gregory Sprouse, a planner with the CMCOG, said he hopes the Zion Hill project represents the beginning of more broad revitalization work in Winnsboro neighborhoods.

    “We want this [Zion Hill] to be a starting point for how we can move similar types of projects into other areas of the town that need the same type of commitment,” Sprouse said. “CDBG funds must be spent to benefit low to moderate income populations based on census data, and Zion Hill and the Fortune Springs Park area fit that criteria.”

    Broadband

    County officials ended the year in new pursuit of broadband expansion in the county – a pursuit that, in the past, has been futile.

    “On broadband, I will just say we are exploring potential opportunities that may be available that could assist us in working with our existing local providers to expand the service,” Taylor said. “Like other infrastructure that we are working on, we realize that for the county to grow, improving our broadband service is critical. In today’s world, people expect service to be widely available and fast.”

    Barbara Ball contributed to this story.

  • FC offers unemployed a ride to work

    WINNSBORO – Fairfield County officials are joining forces with the Midlands Fatherhood Coalition’s Winnsboro office to provide transportation to a Kraft Foods job fair on Sept. 22 in Newberry, according to Fairfield County Deputy Administrator Davis Anderson.

    “If enough applicants get jobs at the plant on the same shift and need transportation between Winnsboro and the plant every day, we’re looking at trying to arrange that, too,” Anderson said.

    Anderson said there might be a nominal fee to use the service on a long term, regular basis.

    “Failure to be able to just get to the job site every day is a big part of the problem we face with employment in Fairfield County,” Fatherhood Coalition Site Manager Rudolph Walker said. “I really see this as a win-win situation.”

    Walker said putting fathers back to work is a large part of what the Fatherhood Coalition office in Winnsboro is about.

    “Many of these men face multiple problems in finding and retaining employment. Besides the problems of getting to work, many also need job training and help with background problems such as expungement of criminal records,” Walker said.

    The program also provides a week-long employment boot camp.

    “At the same time, we work to help these men understand what it is to be a father, to build relationships with their children, co-parents and community,” Walker said. “We understand what happens in negative situations, with no economic stability.”

    The Coalition recently opened a new location at the Ridgeway fire station at 350 S. Palmer Street, and will open another one on Sept. 6 at the Monticello Community Center, 7104 State Hwy 215 S., in Jenkinsville. The Winnsboro office is located at 201 W Moultrie St.

    For more information about the Kraft job fair or about the Midlands Fatherhood Coalition, call Walker at 803-815-044.

  • SCE&G to test emergency sirens at V.C. Summer

    JENKINSVILLE – At approximately 1 p.m. on Tuesday, July 10, SCE&G will sound the 109 sirens located within a 10-mile radius of V.C. Summer Nuclear Station in Fairfield County near Jenkinsville. All sirens surrounding the plant are usually sounded on the first Tuesday of each quarter for one minute as part of the plant’s regular testing program.

    Area residents are reminded that the one-minute sounding of sirens during this time period is only a test. In the unlikely event of an actual emergency at the plant, the sirens would sound for three minutes with no prior notice and would alert area residents to tune in to an Emergency Alert System radio or television station for further instructions.

    For more information, log on to www.sceg.com/nuclearpreparedness, or call the Fairfield County emergency management office (803-635-4444) or S.C. Emergency Management Division (803-737-8500).

  • Tornado downs trees, smashes homes

    Charlie Robertson stands in front of what’s left of one end of his home on Highway 21 on the edge of Ridgeway after a giant tree fell on top of it, crushing the kitchen and family room areas of the home. | Photos: Barbara Ball

    FAIRFIELD COUNTY – Storms moved through Fairfield County between 2:30 and 3 p.m. Sunday bringing rain, high winds and spawning at least one tornado along the east side of the County with many reports of trees down causing considerable damage to structures from Ridgeway to Mitford.

    The National Weather Service notified the County offices Monday that a tornado, with winds in excess of 86 miles per hour, touched down in the Ridgeway-Lake Wateree area.

    Some of the storm’s worst destruction could be followed from the Ridgeway area north, along Lake Wateree, to the Mitford area, as it toppled giant oak and pine trees in its path. Some of those trees crashed through roofs and sliced into homes causing heavy damage. Several roads were blocked by fallen trees.

    Some areas along the storm’s path were reported to be without electricity until Monday.

    No injuries have been reported.

  • Town breaks ground for Broad River Project

    WINNSBORO – HPG engineer Ken Parnell, Danny Stuck with DS Utilities, Blythewood Mayor J. Michael Ross, Ridgeway Mayor Charlene Herring, Winnsboro Town Councilmen Clyde Sanders, Jackie Wilkes (former), John McMeekin, Town Manager Don Wood, Winnsboro Mayor Roger Gaddy, attorney John Fantry, Fairfield County Councilwoman Bertha Goins and Fairfield County Administrator Jason Taylor broke ground for the Broad River Water Project on Wednesday.

  • Davenport: Fairfield County short on inventory

    RIDGEWAY – The County’s Director of Economic Development, Ty Davenport, is tickled pink that the county has a potentially interested buyer for its only spec building, a 75,000 square foot big box in the Walter Brown Industrial Park off Cook Road, but his elation is exceeded by his worry that the County doesn’t have the marketable industrial properties that it needs to stay up with its competition.

    Some Fairfield County residents, however, have voiced objection when the County considers purchasing more land for economic development.

    Fairfield County Administrator Jason Taylor, left, and the County’s Director of Economic Development Ty Davenport, survey infrastructure construction in the Fairfield Commerce Center off Peach Road that is scheduled to be finished in the spring. | Barbara Ball

    “When it comes up that the County is looking to buy several hundred acres of property for economic development, the perception is that the County owns all this property and has a tremendous amount of inventory,” Davenport told The Voice last week during a tour of the County’s 600-acre Fairfield Commerce Center off Peach Road, the second of its two industrial parks.

    “But we don’t,” he said. “Our marketable territory is pretty slim today compared to the main counties we compete with. We have a total of about 600 buildable acres. Chester County has 1,353 marketable acres available, twice what we have. Kershaw has 1,000+ marketable acres and Orangeburg County, a big competitor of ours, has 1,850 acres ready to go,” Davenport said. “Orangeburg has 10 industrial parks compared to our two – the Fairfield Commerce Center and the Walter Brown Industrial Park. And these numbers don’t include mega sites.”

    Davenport said the County has about 475 buildable acres in the Fairfield Commerce Center and only 32 total buildable acres in the Walter Brown Park.

    “When recruiting industry, we have to be ready for them. Things happen faster today than they did 20 years ago, and the county that has marketable, ready-to-go property is going to do better,” Davenport said.

    Asked what other inventory there is in the County, Davenport said there are six available buildings – the former Mack Truck building, (676,000+ square feet), the former Caterpillar building (50,000+ square feet), the spec building (75,000 square feet), the 123,000-square-foot Charm building in Ridgeway that has only 22,000 square feet available, the Fazio (Plastec) building (175,000 square feet) on Highway 34 and about 20,000 square feet available in the 65,000+ square foot Ying Zin building in Walter Brown Park. All but the spec building are privately owned but marketed by the County.

    “With the improving economy, the Mack Truck building has been getting lots of looks lately. It’s one of only six buildings over 600,000 square feet available in the whole state. It has rail and a new $3 million roof. It’s a clean building inside with a clean environmental report. It’s ready to go,” Davenport said. “It’s a big property with a lot of value on 150 acres. It could be expanded up to a million square feet fairly easily. A company that’s interested in a big building in South Carolina will look at it,” Davenport said. “Besides the potential jobs, that building can bring in significantly more property taxes annually for the County than the $400,000 it now generates.”

    The only other site that could hold a building the size of the Mack Truck building is a 100-acre site located in the 210-acre second phase of the Fairfield Commerce Center. That site will be ready to market in late spring. Graders are currently adding water and sewer lines and roads.  That work is being financed with $7 million from the County’s $24 million bond money.

    Davenport said the County has saved about $1 million on the project by redesigning part of the site and securing almost $700,00 in grants. The County harvested a portion of the timber on the property and plans to use the proceeds to pre-grade building pads for new users.

    Driving past BOMAG, a mid-size company that sits at the entrance to the Fairfield Commerce Center, Davenport pointed to a yard full of shiny yellow road paving equipment that the company assembles. He described the company as fantastic.

    “It’s an international French-owned German company that employees 120 people and owns 120 companies around the world. That’s a good connection for us.” Davenport said.

    For some in the County, the 1,200-acre mega site purchased last year on Highway 34 east of I-77 is the elephant in the room. Shortly after the County purchased the site, Val Green, a local engineer, announced during public comment session of a County Council meeting, that the property was full of granite and would be difficult to develop. Davenport said the state conducted geo technical studies on the property that show the granite to be well below the surface and should not be an issue. He also said soil borings were conducted on the site. Davenport conceded that this site, like all sites, has grading challenges. He also said the site would require water, sewer and natural gas before it would be marketable. However, he said the site has two big pluses.

    “It’s the only industrial site the County owns that has rail access,” Davenport said. “That’s a top priority for the more desirable industrial sites.”

    Another plus is that while the property cost a whopping $8,700,000, the County only had to kick in approximately $3,000,000. The Department of Commerce covered the remaining $6,000,000. The state has also agreed to assist in covering the cost of infrastructure for the site.

    “This site is for the big one, the big user, the grand slam, the home run,” Davenport said of the mega site. “But it’s not going to be marketable for 12-18 months. We still have to design truck access.  As for rail access, a spur just needs to be constructed from the track to reach into the site,” Davenport said.

    In the meantime, Davenport said the County is trying to recruit more good mid-size companies like BOMAG for sites soon to be available in its two existing industrial parks. “I’d like to bring in 10 companies like BOMAG,” Davenport said. “Ten companies bring in 10 accountants, 10 lawn care people, 10 people doing whatever. We want those people in the County. We’re trying to figure out ways to drive the local economy, not the national economy.”

    While Davenport said he feels the County is woefully short on marketable properties, he rattles off some of the County’s assets.

    “The region is attractive, and the County brings a lot to the table to attract good, clean industry,” he said. “We have 1.2 million people in a 60-minute drive time, giving us access to a good workforce – about half a million employed people – and companies are looking for people who are currently employed. We have Lake Wateree, Lake Monticello, proximity to an international airport in Charlotte and a world class zoo and university in Columbia. We have the Fairfield County museum and Carolina Adventure World in our back door, Gamecock sports, plenty of great housing in Columbia, Northeast Columbia, Blythewood and other rural and small town settings in the County. And the shopping in Ridgeway and Winnsboro is getting better every day. There’s something for everyone here,” Davenport said.

    Another plus, Davenport said, is that Winnsboro and the County are becoming big assets to each other. He said the two leaderships are working together now to make things happen.

    “County Administrator Jason Taylor has a background in town administration and understands town development. He has a passion for it.  We have a new grant writer in the Town, and the County has hired a new community development director who will be working not only with Winnsboro but the smaller towns in the County as well. What he’s doing will make my product easier to sell,” Davenport said.

    “More than anything, I hope the people in the county understand that when the County buys land, we are not just land banking. We are trying to acquire an inventory to accommodate different size buildings that meet the needs of multiple end users,” Davenport said. “We have to have outside money coming in or the town and county will wither up. That’s what we’re trying to do. We’re trying to recruit money into the County.”

  • Fairfield County hires new directors

    WINNSBORO – Fairfield County Administrator Jason Taylor has announced the appointment of two department directors – Jason Pope, Director of the Fire Service and Chris Clausen, Planning and Community Development Director.

    Pope

    “After 17 years of leaving the county every day to go to work, it’s a privilege and honor to come back home to work,” Pope told Council Monday night.

    A graduate of The Citadel with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Pope had a year or so of experience with the Lebanon Volunteer Fire Department before being hired by the S. C. Fire Academy in February, 2001. He has held several positions with the Academy, most recently serving as the Deputy Director.

    “I have great confidence that Jason’s wealth of knowledge and experience will help him continue to move the department forward in a positive way,” Taylor said.

    A native of Fairfield County, Pope said he has lived in the County all his life and has deep roots. He and his wife, Karen, and their three children, Emma Grace, Jase and Samuel Jason, live on a farm in the Lebanon community and attend Lebanon Presbyterian Church.

    Clausen

    Clausen comes to Fairfield County with broad experience in planning for small to medium size organizations focused on rural and suburban development. He was most recently the Zoning Administrator for Chapin, where he oversaw the growth of several large development projects, initiated numerous updates to the planning and zoning ordinances and secured funding for several community development projects. Prior to that, he served as Assistant Director of Economic and Community Sustainability Department of the Santee-Lynhes Regional Council of Governments where he was involved in numerous regional planning efforts focusing on environmental, transportation, economic development and community development projects and plans.

    Clausen holds a Bachelor’s degree from Liberty University with a concentration in Business and two Master’s Degrees – one from the University of South Carolina (Master of Business Administration) and one from Clemson University (Master of City and Regional Planning.) He currently resides in Northeast Columbia with his wife Carla and their three children.

    In addition to managing the planning, building and zoning functions of the County as well as the development regulations and ensuring code compliance, Clausen will also be charged with proactively seeking new community development initiatives with an increased utilization of grant funding.

    “I’m excited to have an asset like Chris in the county,” Taylor said, “and I’m looking forward to the developments he will bring to the residents of Fairfield.”

  • SCE&G to test emergency sirens at V.C. Summer

    JENKINSVILLE – At approximately 1 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 9, SCE&G will sound the 109 sirens located within a 10-mile radius of V.C. Summer Nuclear Station in Fairfield County near Jenkinsville. All sirens surrounding the plant are usually sounded on the first Tuesday of each quarter for one minute as part of the plant’s regular testing program. Because of the New Year holiday, this test will be conducted on the second Tuesday.

    Area residents are reminded that the one-minute sounding of sirens during this time period is only a test. In the unlikely event of an actual emergency at the plant, the sirens would sound for three minutes with no prior notice and would alert area residents to tune in to an Emergency Alert System radio or television station for further instructions.

    For more information, log on to www.sceg.com/nuclearpreparedness, or call the Fairfield County emergency management office (803-635-4444) or S.C. Emergency Management Division (803-737-8500).

  • County contracts attorney

    WINNSBORO – Tommy Morgan, an attorney with DuBose-Robinson Law Firm in Camden, has been contracted to serve Fairfield County on a part time basis.

    Morgan

    Morgan will continue with DuBose-Robinson where his practice includes a wide variety of civil litigation focusing on governmental law, defending law enforcement in civil rights’ violation cases and various other forms of civil litigation.

    Morgan has represented clients in both South Carolina state and federal courts and has successfully tried numerous cases to jury verdicts.  He has also appeared before multiple appellate courts, most recently successfully arguing before the United States Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals.  Morgan has previously served as the assistant county attorney for both Dillon County and Kershaw County.

    Before entering private practice, Morgan clerked as a Staff Attorney at the South Carolina Supreme Court.  Prior to law school, he served in the United States Army, Military Intelligence Branch, where he received numerous awards for his service, including a Joint Service Commendation Medal and Global War on Terrorism Medal.

    Morgan holds a Bachelor’s degree from Regents College, a Master’s degree in Public Administration and he graduated from the University of South Carolina law school.

  • Winnsboro man charged with child pornography

    Pearson

    COLUMBIA – South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson announced the arrest of Raymonte Terrial Pearson (age 19) of Winnsboro, S.C., on ten charges connected to the exploitation of a minor.  Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force investigators with the Attorney General’s Office made the arrest.  Investigators with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Fairfield County Sheriff’s Office, both also members of the state’s ICAC Task Force, assisted with the search and arrest.

    Investigators received a CyberTipline report from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) which led them to Pearson. Investigators state Pearson possessed multiple images of child pornography.

    Pearson was arrested on November 29, 2017. He is charged with ten counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, third degree (§16-15-410), a felony offense punishable by up to ten years imprisonment on each count.

    The case will be prosecuted by the Attorney General’s Office.