Former South Carolina Rep. RJ May, a Republican lawmaker known for sponsoring anti-LGBTQ+ legislation, has pleaded guilty to federal charges of distributing child sexual abuse material.
May, 38, entered his plea in federal court on Monday, admitting to five counts of distributing child sexual abuse videos. In exchange, prosecutors agreed to drop five other counts. He faces five to 20 years in prison on each charge when he is sentenced next year. Under the terms of his plea agreement, he must also register as a sex offender and pay $40,000 in restitution to funds that support victims of trafficking and child sexual abuse.
The charges stem from a federal investigation that began in spring 2024, when the messaging platform Kik flagged suspicious activity to authorities. Court records show that an account using the name “joebidennnn69” shared 220 images and videos of child sexual abuse material in less than a week. Prosecutors said they linked May to the uploads by showing that he was emailing work files, making phone calls, and conducting web searches for his political consulting work at the same time he was on Kik requesting sexually explicit content.
May was arrested in June and initially pleaded not guilty. He resigned from the South Carolina House of Representatives shortly after his indictment. At the time of his arrest, he faced 10 federal counts, each carrying potential prison sentences of five to 20 years. Under his plea agreement, he admitted guilt to five counts while the remaining charges are expected to be dismissed at sentencing.
First elected in 2020, May quickly established himself as one of the most conservative voices in the South Carolina legislature. He represented District 88 and was a founding member of the House Freedom Caucus. May aligned closely with groups like Moms for Liberty and sponsored bills to restrict gender-affirming health care for transgender youth, eliminate nondiscrimination protections, and expand state control over public education.
On the House floor and in public forums, he regularly cast these efforts as defending “family values” and safeguarding children from what he portrayed as harmful influences. That record now stands in sharp contrast to the crimes he has pleaded guilty for, undermining the very platform on which he built his political career.
At Monday’s hearing, May represented himself despite not having a law degree. His downfall has drawn attention not only because of the severity of the charges but also because of his role in South Carolina’s political battles over LGBTQ+ rights. In January 2024, months before investigators tied his devices to the child sexual abuse videos, May declared during a debate on transgender care for minors, “We as legislators have an obligation to ensure that our children have no harm done to them.”
May is scheduled to be sentenced on January 14, 2026. He faces the possibility of spending decades in federal prison.