COLUMBIA, S.C. - Attorney General Henry McMaster announced Thursday that Byron Bondrell James, 27, of 3795 Charleston Highway in Orangeburg, was arrested on June 4 in an Internet predator investigation conducted by the Lexington County Sheriff's Office.

The Lexington County Sheriff's Department is a member of the Attorney General's Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force.

James was arrested on one count of criminal solicitation of a minor, a felony offense punishable by up to 10 years in prison.

An arrest warrant alleges that beginning in May 2008, James began soliciting sex on the Internet from an individual he knew to be a 15-year-old girl. The girl's mother filed a complaint with the Lexington County Sheriff's Office that her child had been engaging in sexually explicit "chats" with an adult man. She provided deputies with copies of several of these "chats."

During the investigation, the victim confirmed that she made it clear to James that she was 15 years old.

A search warrant executed at James' residence resulted in the seizure of two computer towers, two flash drives, one laptop computer and one digital camera.

The Orangeburg County Sheriff's office (also a member of the ICAC Task Force) assisted with the case.

Investigators were also assisted by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

This is the 126th arrest for the task force. The case will be prosecuted by the Attorney General's Office.

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