Additional charges for man arrested in Child Sexual Exploitation case

A man arrested in Darlington County last week on charges related to child sexual exploitation is now facing additional serious charges, according to the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office.

William Legrande Gowdy, who was initially arrested on April 28 for Second Degree Sexual Exploitation of a Minor, has now been charged with multiple additional crimes following further investigation.

New warrants allege that Gowdy committed the offense of Buggery (sex with an animal) on multiple occasions within Darlington County. According to officials, investigators discovered evidence on the defendant’s electronic device during their investigation, and the same animal was observed during the execution of a search warrant at the residence.

In addition, Gowdy now faces two counts of Third Degree Sexual Exploitation of a Minor for allegedly possessing material containing visual representations of minors engaged in sexual activity or in a state of sexually explicit nudity. This evidence was also reportedly found on the defendant’s electronic device.

Gowdy was arrested alongside Leo James Irvine in Darlington County following an investigation into the distribution of child sexual abuse material. Irvine faces five counts of exploitation charges.

According to investigators, Irvine allegedly used Snapchat to distribute prohibited content between March 20-27, while Gowdy reportedly used a file sharing network in February. The investigation began after authorities received a CyberTipline report from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

Each felony charge carries a potential 10-year sentence. The South Carolina Attorney General’s Office will prosecute the case.