17.5 years — Former Rep. RJ May sentenced for child pornography distribution

COLUMBIA, SC (WOLO) — On Wednesday, former South Carolina Representative Robert John “RJ” May was sentenced to 17.5 years in prison by a federal judge.

The 38-year-old will be 55-years-old when he’s released from prison in 2042.

“As a representative he introduced legislation to protect kids, but in reality, he was exploiting them,” says First Assistant U.S. Attorney Lance Crick, speaking to media after the sentencing.

May pleaded guilty to five counts of possessing and distributing child sexual abuse material this past September.

U.S. Attorneys call May the ultimate hypocrite. “He’d advance bills that criminalized child pornography distribution and severely punished it while distributing child pornography,” says Assistant U.S. Attorney Elliott Daniels. Daniels and Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Matthews, among multiple other attorneys, prosecuted May’s case.

Prosecutors say May shared 220 explicit videos over 400 times to other child pornographers — across 18 states and six countries. “Toddlers being sexually assaulted (on video), crying in pain,” says Crick.

During court, the judge and attorneys debated the word “image” and what counts as one image — defense attorneys arguing that every frame of a video should not count as an image, but rather that one video should equate to charges for one image.

May’s attorneys, Jenny Smith and Jeremy Thompson, told Judge Cameron McGowan Currie that May experienced heavy abuse from his alcoholic mother as a child until he was 12 years old. At that time, he moved in with his father, who addressed the judge at Wednesday’s sentencing.

May’s father addresses judge

“I am totally broken,” he says. His father also says May was a “kind, caring, and helpful son, brother, father, friend, and nephew” calling his actions “a sick and spiraling downward fall.”

He momentarily faced his son, then the judge, saying through tears, “I beg of you to have mercy.”

May’s sister addresses judge

Megan May, RJ’s baby sister also addressed RJ telling him through tears, “RJ, I love you and you’ve always been a good big brother to me.” She went on to say, “I have learned about horrific things he sought out. My experience of RJ has been drastically different than what you heard today.”

Megan says RJ often shielded her from neglect and abuse by their alcoholic mother, and believes therapy and spiritual help can transform her older brother.

Attorneys tell judge what May’s wife Beth has said 

Attorneys say May’s soon-to-be-ex-wife Beth told them that May was “a kind and patient father” to their two children.

May addresses judge

May addressed Judge Currie and his victims saying in part, “To the victims of my crime, I know nothing I say will take away your pain, but I am sorry.” He went on to say, “I don’t expect forgiveness. If the roles were reversed I wouldn’t offer it. But in the years to come, I hope they can show me grace.”

He also addressed his addiction saying, “I was too weak, too embarrassed, too ashamed to admit that I had mental health issues.”

Regarding his mother, May says, “She told me to stop crying and be a man. She would chase me with broomsticks and lock me in my bedroom. Her last words to me were, “Your grandparents don’t love you.”

On his actions, May says, “My marriage has ended. My wife and I would sit on opposite couches, staring at our phones. I became a slave to the screen. I was preaching moral decency by day and engaging in immoral behavior by night. My addiction destroyed my life and destroyed my freedom.” He also talked about his son loving soccer and his daughter loving tea parties saying, “Everything reminds me of my children.”

May says his father wrote him a letter saying he wishes he had protected him from the evils of his mother, sooner.

May also told the judge he abused testosterone shots, increasing his sex drive.

Judge Currie gives sentence

Judge Currie, however, said that May’s case was “more severe than any case I have resided over.” She says the videos included incest, rape, pain, and humiliation of children. (Attorneys also said that some of the videos included forced bestiality on children.)

“He overcame an abusive childhood but has contributed to abuse of children,” she says, adding, “He claimed to be their advocate while he was their abuser.”

“She rightfully pointed out that his conduct was more severe than the average child pornographer,” says Daniels.

U.S. Attorneys also say videos show that May traveled to the country of Colombia where he allegedly sexually abused three young women. Those victims, attorneys say, have not yet been located and their ages have not been verified.

“We do think it shows predatory and violent physical sex. He’s not just a guy on a screen. He finds people and engages in predatory conduct,” says Daniels.

Judge Currie has also ordered that May pay over $58,000 between eight different child victims in the videos. Attorneys say around 40 other victims have yet to be identified.

“Our state is safer for RJ May being in prison,” says Daniels.

May has 14 days to appeal the judge’s decision.