Lexington County and S.C. sees uptick in Internet Crimes Against Children arrests

Local deputies have made 5 ICAC arrests just this year

The Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force has been incredibly active in South Carolina, resulting in tons of arrests in Lexington County.

Statewide, the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office reports a significant increase in cyber tips related to crimes against children from 2023 to 2024.

More specifically, the office’s communications director, Robert Kittle, told the Chronicle that “business is booming,” with cyber tip numbers having gone from 9,778 in 2023 to 11,469 in 2024.

“You have a workhorse at the Lexington County Sheriff’s Office who is working very hard on his ICAC cases. …They have two very hard-working detectives over there (LCSO) that cover ICAC cases, and both do a really good job. However, one position is more focused on ICAC cases,” Kittle said. “[T]he task force is churning and burning in a lot of areas of the state.”

ICAC has been in operation for 27 years, according to icactaskforce.org, and has made over 89,400 arrests as a result of complaints received.

“We are a national network of 61 coordinated task forces, representing over 5,400 federal, state, and local law enforcement, dedicated to investigating, prosecuting and developing effective responses to internet crimes against children,” the ICAC website reads.

The Lexington County Sheriff’s Office again has two investigators who primarily work with ICAC, and they report that in 2023, they received 94 cyber tips and made 28 arrests; in 2024, they received 74 cyber tips and made 16 arrests; and in 2025 (through Feb. 5), they received 15 cyber tips and made 5 arrests.

Here are some of this year’s arrests:

Shaquezius Leevontae Dennis, 19, of Batesburg-Leesville, was arrested on Jan. 31 on one charge connected to the sexual exploitation of minors, according to a release from the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office.

“Investigators received a CyberTipline report from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) which led them to Dennis,” the release read. “Investigators state Dennis distributed files of child sexual abuse material.”

Darien Shawn Saxon, 25, of Lexington, was arrested on Jan. 29 on two charges connected to the sexual exploitation of minors.

“Investigators received a CyberTipline report from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) which led them to Saxon,” according to a release from the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office. “Investigators state Saxon distributed files of child sexual abuse material.”

Matthew Leonard Loveridge, 20, of Cayce, was arrested on Jan. 28 on four counts of sexual exploitation of a minor.

Christopher Paul Comer, 28, of Pelion, was arrested on Jan. 28 on three counts of sexual exploitation of a minor.

“Investigators received CyberTipline reports from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) which led them to both Loveridge and Comer,” according to a release from the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office. “Investigators state Loveridge and Comer distributed files of child sexual abuse material.”

Jake Brady Ergle, 38, of Batesburg-Leesville, was arrested on Jan. 15 on one count of sexual exploitation of a minor.

“Investigators received a CyberTipline report from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) which led them to Ergle,” according to a release from the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office. “Investigators state Ergle possessed files of child sexual abuse material.”