South Carolina state Rep. RJ May has resigned from the House of Representatives while awaiting trial on 10 federal counts of distributing child sexual abuse material.
May’s resignation letter, dated Thursday, August 7, was delivered to House leaders Monday morning.
“It is in the best interests of my family and constituents to resign immediately,” May wrote.
Highlights
- South Carolina Rep. RJ May resigned amid 10 federal child sexual abuse material distribution charges.
- May allegedly shared 220 files involving toddlers in 2024.
- May is held without bond and faces 5-20 years per charge, potentially over a decade in prison, and a $250,000 fine.
- May's resignation sparks a special election expected by December to fill his District 88 seat.
Rep. RJ May resigned from the South Carolina House of Representatives
Image credits: Gage Skidmore/Wikimedia
The letter did not mention the charges against him.
May, 38, is being held without bond at the Edgefield County Jail as he awaits trial next month.
Prosecutors say May used the screen name “joebidennnn69” to exchange 220 files showing toddlers and young children in sex acts over the Kik messaging app during five days in spring 2024.
The files were shared using May’s home Wi-Fi and his cellphone. Some were hidden using a private network, but others were directly linked to May’s internet addresses.
Prosecutors said at least 10 child sexual abuse videos were confirmed.
May’s attorney suggested at his arraignment that others could have used his Wi-Fi password, which he claimed may have been visible in a photo posted online.
Each charge carries a five- to 20-year sentence if he is convicted, with a mandatory minimum of five years.
Prosecutors have said May could face more than a decade in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The investigation began in April 2024 when the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children received a tip from Kik after detecting flagged videos.
Federal agents traced the account to May’s home and arrested him in June 2025.
May, first elected in 2020, co-founded the South Carolina Freedom Caucus.
Image credits: Mary Green/X
Calls for his resignation began immediately after his arrest and were unanimous. House Majority Leader Davey Hiott said the resignation should have happened a year ago, after the raid on May’s house.
“I hope members of the House Freedom Caucus don’t think this will end this investigation,” Hiott said.
The House Ethics Committee opened an investigation last month, viewed as a first step toward expelling him.
Hiott said the inquiry should continue, also noting “numerous questions over campaign finance irregularities” tied to May.
“RJ May’s resignation from the South Carolina House of Representatives is long overdue,” the Freedom Caucus said in a statement. “The people of District 88 deserve true and honorable representation.
“While we welcome this resignation, we strongly believe that the SC House should have acted to expel RJ May after he was indicted for such heinous crimes.”
“Our hearts are with his victims and his innocent family, and we pray for swift justice as this ugly chapter in the South Carolina House of Representatives comes to a close,” it added.
The resignation triggers a special election to fill May’s seat before the 2026 legislative session begins in January.
A special election will take place to fill May’s seat
The process is expected to open later this month, with a primary in October if necessary and a general election in December.
Brian Duncan, who ran a write-in campaign in 2024 after federal agents raided May’s home, has announced plans to run in the special election.
“When the special election occurs in the coming months, I will be ready to continue the work I began last year meeting with residents, listening to their concerns, and sharing my vision for a stronger District 88,” Duncan said.
May’s political career began in 2020 when he won the Lexington County seat. He operated a political consulting business while in office.