As reported by The State, State Representative Robert “RJ” May of Lexington County is in law enforcement custody, reportedly facing potential federal charges. The arrest follows months of speculation after various computer hardware was seized from his home last year by agents investigating the matter.
Exact charges against the 38-year-old lawmaker are expected to be made public soon. He was taken into custody Wednesday afternoon at his residence. The investigation, which has been ongoing, involved the U.S. Attorney’s Office in South Carolina and agents from the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) unit, a law enforcement agency focusing on federal criminal investigations including certain types of exploitation and illicit material. HSI agents previously searched a property belonging to May in August of last year, seizing a laptop, tablet, cell phones, hard drives, and various storage devices.
May is married with two young children. He is known for founding a hard-line conservative faction in the South Carolina House, the House Freedom Caucus. This group advocated for conservative legislation and often criticized other Republicans. Following his arrest, the House Freedom Caucus announced May’s expulsion from the group, stating he had not been involved in their operations since August 2024 and called for his resignation from the State House.
Despite the prior investigation and his suspension from the House Freedom Caucus, May regularly attended the 2025 legislative session. He won a third term in House District 88 last November, running unopposed on the ballot except for a write-in challenge. May also operated a political consulting firm that ran campaigns for conservative candidates.
