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Fort Mill man accused of possessing, distributing child sex abuse material

45-year-old Edward Walick was arrested on Oct. 20 and faces prosecution by the South Carolina Attorney General's Office.

FORT MILL, S.C. — A Fort Mill man is accused of not only possessing digital files that showed children being sexually abused but also distributing said files to others.

In a news release Tuesday, the South Carolina Attorney General's Office announced that 45-year-old Edward Walick was arrested on Oct. 20. He faces six charges connected to the alleged sexual exploitation of a minor.

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The Attorney General's office said a CyberTipline report from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) prompted local, state, and federal law enforcement to investigate. State prosecutors will now handle the next steps in the trial process.

Walick is charged with one count of second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor and five counts of third-degree sexual exploitation of a minor. I found guilty, the maximum prison sentence he could face up to 60 years in state prison, or a decade for each charge he faces, according to the South Carolina Code of Laws.

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WCNC will only air or post a mugshot if the person has been formally charged with a crime and in a few other cases. The exceptions include: If it appears the person could be a danger to themselves or others or if they are wanted by authorities; to differentiate between people with a common name; if the photos could encourage more victims to come forward. The news-editorial leadership may also decide to use a mugshot based on the severity of the crime(s) committed and/or the level of public interest in the crime and ensuing criminal proceedings. 

A mugshot for Walick was not available.

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