OCSO Files Additional Charges against Seneca Man in Ongoing Child Sexual Abuse Investigations
Cory Donavan Simpson
(Walhalla, SC)-------------------------------------An Investigator with the Violent Crimes Unit, of the Criminal Investigations Bureau with the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office, obtained additional arrest warrants this week against a Seneca man in an ongoing Child Sexual Abuse Material Investigation.
35 additional arrest warrants, for Sexual Exploitation of a Minor – 1st Degree, were obtained Wednesday against 30 year old Cory Donavan Simpson. As a result of evidence obtained during the investigation, and probable cause being established, Simpson has been charged with a grand total of 53 counts of Sexual Exploitation of a Minor – 1st Degree and 18 counts of Sexual Exploitation of a Minor – 2nd Degree.
At this time, Simpson remains in custody, at the Oconee County Detention Center, on a current bond amount of $2.95 million dollars.
The 71 total charges against Simpson are the result of a continuing investigation that the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office has been conducting in cooperation with the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office and the Department of Homeland Security.
The investigation stemmed from Cybertips received in regards to the possession and distribution of Child Sexual Abuse Material by Simpson. Evidence obtained during the investigation showed that Simpson would receive images from victims. Simpson would then blackmail the victims to provide additional images in order to sell those images that he received with others.
Further investigation indicates that Simpson knowingly coerced and encouraged minors to transmit images of themselves in a state of sexually explicit nudity, or engaged in sexual activity, with payment exchanged, in some instances, between Simpson and the minor for the images produced.
The Oconee County Sheriff’s Office is continuing its investigation, and due to preserving the integrity of the investigation, and that of any underage victims, the Sheriff’s Office will not release any information that could, either directly or indirectly, identify any victims.