A Murrells Inlet registered sex offender arrested on child porn charges, police say

A registered sex offender is behind bars after deputies with the Georgetown County Sheriff’s Office found him in possession of child pornography, police say.

Lawrence Edward Tafoya, 63, of Murrells Inlet, was arrested Thursday morning and charged with third-degree sexual exploitation of a minor.

On Sept. 19, the Georgetown County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigation Division received a tip about an individual who was possibly in possession of child pornography, a news release said. Agents with the South Carolina Department of Probation, Pardon and Parole, while performing a routine search of a parolee’s cellphone, observed what they believed to be child pornography, according to the release.

The device was seized and transferred to custody of the sheriff’s office, where certified forensic examiners were able to analyze and extract its contents.

Tafoya is being held at the Georgetown County Detention Center, pending a bond hearing.

This story was originally published September 27, 2019 at 9:47 AM.