On Monday, September 22, 2025, FITSNews reported that federal prosecutors have unveiled disturbing allegations against James B. “Skip” Gosnell, a suspended Charleston County magistrate judge, significantly broadening the scope of an ongoing investigation into his conduct. The accusations detail graphic sexual abuse of minor children, including infants.
Gosnell was arrested last week by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents. He was initially accused of possessing child sex abuse material, leading to his suspension from the bench by the S.C. Supreme Court.
However, according to a federal filing by U.S. Attorney Bryan Stirling and Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine Orville, the alleged offenses extend far beyond mere possession. While a forensic examination of Gosnell’s devices is still in progress, investigators have already discovered hundreds of files containing child sex abuse material on an external storage device that Gosnell admitted was his and contained child pornography.
More alarmingly, explicit communications allegedly recovered from Gosnell’s iPhone suggest a deeper involvement in child abuse. Stirling and Orville stated that the conversations indicate Gosnell was romantically involved with another individual, and their shared interests involved abusing children. One conversation allegedly detailed plans for Gosnell to visit the other individual in Florida to jointly rape and torture the individual’s nephew’s infant son.
Gosnell purportedly expressed to a fellow accused pedophile his attraction to the “rape” and “torture” of children, stating that their screams aroused him. The two allegedly discussed using the messaging app Telegram to talk about the physical abuse of the infant, with the goal of causing irreparable brain damage.
The federal filing further suggests that Gosnell’s alleged perversions were not limited to fantasy. Telegram messages reportedly reveal numerous instances where Gosnell claimed to have raped and abused children, including alleged female victims as young as three months, five months, and even two weeks old. Prosecutors asserted that Gosnell’s communications with other pedophiles indicate an insatiable appetite for this type of child sex abuse material.
Gosnell also allegedly wrote about a trip to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, to rape a two-year-old boy. The federal filing noted additional conversations that suggest other international travel for the purpose of engaging in sex with children, with federal agents aware of a trip Gosnell took alone to Amsterdam in late summer 2025.
Prosecutors further allege that Gosnell led online chats to “teach other pedophiles the tricks of the trade.” They also suggested that his knowledge of the criminal justice system could help him flee and evade accountability if released from prison.
The investigation is ongoing, with federal agents set to review four more computers, thirteen flash drives, seven SD cards, two iPads, and miscellaneous discs and VHS tapes. Stirling’s office has requested public assistance in identifying potential victims of Gosnell, urging anyone with information about a child who was alone with or held by Gosnell to notify HSI’s Charlotte office.
The federal government is advocating for Gosnell’s detention pending trial, asserting that no conditions would ensure his reappearance or the safety of the community. Stirling and Orville described Gosnell as a predator with a preference for infants and toddlers, who has expressed interest in torturing children during abuse.
Prosecutors stated that the evidence against Gosnell is immense and conclusive, with Gosnell himself admitting to possessing child sex abuse material and leading federal agents to a USB drive containing hundreds of videos of “child porn.”
Gosnell has waived his right to a detention hearing with prejudice, meaning he will remain in jail as his case proceeds.
Source: FITSNews
