SC firefighter indicted on federal child sexual exploitation charges

NOTE: The above video is a livestream of WIS featuring current newscasts, Soda City Living and Gray Media’s Local News Live.

JOHNS ISLAND, S.C. (WIS/WCSC) - A South Carolina firefighter is now facing four federal counts related to sexually exploiting children, WCSC reports.

John Lewis Cottrell III, 45, of Johns Island, faces three counts of sexual exploitation of children and one count of activities related to material constituting or containing child pornography, federal court documents state.

An affidavit submitted to the U.S. District Court alleges that he uploaded a file believed to contain explicit images of children to a server. A cyber tip led investigators to obtain a search warrant, through which they found several “selfie” images connected to the account that appeared to match Conttrell’s SCDMV photograph, court documents state.

Investigators said in the affidavit that the video contained sexually explicit material involving an underage girl. Subsequent searches of electronic devices connected to Cottrell uncovered “numerous files that depicted child sexual abuse materials and child pornography,” the documents state. Videos also depicted underage girls using the restroom, undressing and showering in a bathroom that appeared to be the guest room of Cottrell’s home, the affidavit states.

Investigators said they found and seized several devices that appeared ot be hidden cameras in the bathroom.

Court documents state that investigators have positively identified three underage victims, who were interviewed and confirmed they had been at the location where the cameras were hidden and did not know videos were being taken of them.

Charleston police arrested Cottrell back in October, and the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office said at that time he faced 10 state counts of first-degree sexual exploitation of a minor in connection with producing child sexual abuse material.

Court documents stated that Cottrell had been an employee of the James Island Fire Department in August before his arrest by Charleston Police. He was also previously employed by the Lexington County Fire Department.

A hearing in Cottrell’s federal case is scheduled for Dec. 30, court documents state.

He is being held at the Al Cannon Detention Center.

Feel more informed, prepared, and connected with WIS. For more free content like this, subscribe to our email newsletter, and download our apps. Have feedback that can help us improve? Click here.