SOUTH BLOOMFIELD, OH — A South Carolina man has been arrested and charged with multiple counts of sexual exploitation of a minor following an extensive multi-state investigation.
Chief McCoy reported that South Bloomfield police were alerted by a resident regarding potential sexual exploitation involving a minor. Subsequent investigations led to the identification of James Hylton IV from Easley, South Carolina, as the primary suspect.
Further inquiries by local officers, in collaboration with law enforcement agencies including the Ohio State Highway Patrol’s Computer Crimes Unit, the Pickens County Sheriff’s Office Special Victims Unit, the Wood County Sheriff’s Office (Tennessee), and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, uncovered connections between Hylton and a previously reported missing female from Tennessee who had been recovered.
Hylton has been charged with 11 counts of sexual exploitation of a minor. The investigation, which spanned several months, involved intensive efforts from South Bloomfield officers and detectives from Pickens County, resulting in a substantial case against Hylton.
As the investigation has revealed potential additional victims, Hylton is also being scrutinized by federal authorities. The case remains under investigation as authorities continue to explore all possible leads.
As with all suspects, James Hylton IV is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
