Crime & Safety
Lexington, SC: Local Man Arrested for Sexual Exploitation of a Minor
Lexington, 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 Owen Prescott · 2026-09-08T19:20:25.997Z
Lexington, 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 carried out on August 28, 2026, by investigators from the Internet Crimes Against Children ICAC Task Force with the Lexington County Sheriff ’s Department.
The investigation was initiated after authorities received a CyberTipline report from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children NCMEC . According to investigators, the digital evidence indicated that Leon was in possession of files containing child sexual abuse material CSAM . The Attorney General’s Office, which is also a member of the state’s ICAC Task Force, provided assistance throughout the case.
Leon has been charged with one count of sexual exploitation of a minor, third degree, under statute §16 15 410. This felony offense carries a potential penalty of up to 10 years in prison upon conviction. The Attorney General’s Office will be responsible for the prosecution of the case as it moves through the court system.
In announcing the arrest, Attorney General Wilson reaffirmed that all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until they are proven guilty in a court of law. Officials also highlighted the transition to using the term CSAM rather than "child pornography," noting that the updated terminology more accurately reflects the nature of the crimes and the fact that such material involves children who are victims, not participants.
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