Kevin Phillip Hedgpeth, the Mayor Pro Tem and a member of the Hanahan City Council, was charged on April 14 with possession and production of child sexual abuse material, according to a criminal complaint and arrest warrant unsealed in Charleston, South Carolina.
The case is significant due to Hedgpeth's public role as an elected official. The charges allege serious crimes involving minors and digital communication platforms.
According to the charging document authorized by United States Magistrate Judge Mary Gordon Baker, Homeland Security Investigations identified Hedgpeth as part of a social media forum that facilitated the sale of child sexual abuse material. Further investigation revealed that from December 2021 to the present, Hedgpeth used Cash App and PayPal accounts to pay 47 accounts linked either directly to minors or suspected sellers of such content. Some recipients were minors in the Charleston area.
Investigators also found videos and images depicting child sexual abuse stored in an iCloud account registered to Hedgpeth’s personal email address. The account was accessed frequently from his home internet router. Authorities say he used this account along with social media platforms to communicate with children, directing them to produce sexually explicit photographs and videos for payment. One identified victim was reportedly 12 years old when communications began; investigators allege that Hedgpeth paid this minor for videos and pressured involvement from her older brother.
If convicted, Hedgpeth faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison, up to a maximum of 30 years, lifetime supervision by U.S. Probation Office authorities, and sex offender registration requirements.
This prosecution is part of Project Safe Childhood—a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006—to combat online child exploitation through coordinated efforts among federal, state, and local agencies. More information about Project Safe Childhood can be found at Justice.gov/PSC.
Authorities are asking anyone who may have relevant information about possible victims or related activities to contact Homeland Security Investigations at Charleston_exploitationtips@hsi.dhs.gov or by calling 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423), or via their online tip form at https://www.ice.gov/webform/ice-tip-form.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dean H. Secor and Elliott B. Daniels following an investigation led by Homeland Security Investigations.
Officials remind the public that all charges are accusations only; defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
