On Tuesday, October 21, 2025, Count on 2 News reported that a suspended Charleston judge, James B. Gosnell Jr., had been indicted by a federal grand jury on multiple federal child pornography charges. The indictment follows Gosnell’s arrest last month, related to an investigation into alleged child sexual exploitation.
Gosnell, 68, faces six counts, including possession of child pornography, receipt of child pornography, attempted receipt of child pornography, distribution of child pornography, and conspiracy. He has been in custody since his arrest on September 16.
The Homeland Security investigation that led to Gosnell’s arrest linked an account associated with him to a website based in the United Kingdom that was distributing child sexual abuse material. Reports indicate that Gosnell cooperated with authorities, even allegedly directing them to a flash drive containing numerous images of children engaged in sexually explicit conduct. The indictment specifies that at least one image depicted a “prepubescent minor and a minor who had not attained 12 years of age.”
Prosecutors further allege that Gosnell conspired with another individual, whose name has been redacted in court documents, to “receive, distribute, and exchange visual depictions of sexually explicit conduct with minors” starting in December 2023. The indictment states that Gosnell traveled with a USB drive containing child sexual abuse material to a redacted location, where he and the co-defendant viewed the contents together. The USB drive was allegedly left with the co-defendant and subsequently mailed back to Gosnell. The co-defendant has been indicted on one count of conspiracy to receive and distribute child pornography and three counts of distribution of child pornography.
Gosnell’s lawyer has characterized the circumstances surrounding his arrest as an isolated incident in an attempt to secure pre-trial release.
Prosecutors, however, paint a different picture. In a September 21 motion arguing against Gosnell’s release, they described him as a “grave danger to the community, particularly children,” and a flight risk. The motion cited conversations found on Gosnell’s phone in which he allegedly detailed several instances of him raping and abusing children and infants.
In one conversation on the private messaging app Telegram, Gosnell allegedly exchanged messages with another individual who shared an interest in pedophilia. Prosecutors allege the pair may have been romantically involved, and their “romantic interests involved abusing children together.” The documents described conversations in which Gosnell allegedly detailed his sexual abuse of an infant he was babysitting and another instance where he abused a five-month-old under a blanket in public in his neighborhood.
The documents further allege that Gosnell sent a selfie of himself and a 2-year-old child with the message “my new buddy,” claiming to have sexually assaulted the girl two weeks prior. Prosecutors also allege that Gosnell once traveled to Mexico to have sex with children and engaged in other conversations suggesting he traveled internationally at other times “for the purpose of engaging in sex with children.”
The unsealed indictment does not reference any of the allegations regarding physical child sexual abuse.
The allegations have sparked outrage in the Charleston community. First Congressional District Representative Nancy Mace expressed deep concern for potential victims and emphasized the need for Gosnell to face the full force of the law.
Gosnell was released from the Al Cannon Detention Center on September 26 and transferred into federal custody, according to jail records.
Source: Count on 2 News
