Man charged with sexual exploitation |

PICKENS — A Pickens man was denied bail after being arrested on two counts of sexual exploitation of a minor.

Lewis Sterling Eskew Sr., 43, of Sunny Lane in Pickens, faces two counts of second-degree exploitation and is being held without bail in the Pickens County Detention Center, according to a news release issued Tuesday by the Chief Deputy of the Pickens County Sheriff’s Office.

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Chad Brooks.

On Friday, the Pickens County Sheriff’s Office received two cyber tips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children about an individual in Pickens County who was uploading and sharing child abuse material through a social media chat application, Brooks said.

According to Brooks, the sheriff’s Victims Unit launched an investigation and identified the suspect as a user of the social media platform. He said detectives executed a search warrant at the suspect’s home.

According to Brooks, during the search, Eskew was found to be in possession of a cell phone containing multiple files containing child abuse material.

Eskew was arrested and charged with the two crimes, each punishable by up to 10 years in prison. The investigation is ongoing.

According to Brooks, Eskew was currently out on bail through an electronic monitor for similar charges with the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office, which were filed in May 2023.

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