Oconee County Sheriff’s Office Arrests Westminster Man on Sexual Exploitation of a Minor Charges

(Walhalla, SC)-------------------------------------A Westminster man was served with arrest warrants earlier today, by the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office, on two counts of Sexual Exploitation of a Minor – Third Degree.

Due to health related issues, a bond hearing was conducted at an off-site location for 51 year old Leonard Franklin Smith of Grant Road. Smith was not booked into the Oconee County Detention Center due to being at the off-site location. Smith was given a personal recognizance bond.

On August 6th of last year, a School Resource Officer from the Sheriff’s Office spoke with an employee of the Department of Social Services in regards to reports of a transmission of nude photographs between a teenager and Smith.

The investigation was forwarded to the Criminal Investigations Bureau. As a result of evidence obtained during the investigation, it was determined that Smith possessed sexually explicit images of the teenager.

The Oconee County Sheriff’s Office is continuing its investigation, and in order to preserve the integrity of the investigation, and that of the victim, the Sheriff’s Office will not release any information that could in any way identify the victim in this case.