Crime & Safety
Columbia, SC: Lexington Man Arrested for Sexual Exploitation of Minor
Columbia, SC – South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson announced the arrest of 20 year old Edwin Mateo Ordonez Leon of Lexington on charges connected to…
By Lauren Beckett · 2026-09-08T19:45:09.172Z
Columbia, SC – South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson announced the arrest of 20 year old Edwin Mateo Ordonez Leon of Lexington on charges connected to the sexual exploitation of a minor. The arrest was executed by investigators from the Lexington County Sheriff 's Department and members of the Internet Crimes Against Children ICAC Task Force.
According to the Attorney General's Office, the investigation originated from a CyberTipline report submitted by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children NCMEC . Following this report, investigators determined that Leon allegedly possessed files containing child sexual abuse material CSAM . Leon was subsequently taken into custody on August 28, 2026.
Leon faces one count of sexual exploitation of a minor in the third degree, a felony offense under state law §16 15 410 . If convicted, he could face a prison sentence of up to 10 years. The Attorney General's Office confirmed that it will be handling the prosecution of this case.
In a statement regarding the charges, Attorney General Wilson underscored the importance of using accurate terminology regarding these crimes, noting that "child pornography" is being replaced by "CSAM" to better reflect that children involved in such material are victims rather than participants. As with all criminal cases, officials emphasized that the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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