The arrest followed a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children about financial transactions linked to a UK-based distributor, with payments made from Gosnell’s online accounts in late 2024.

Gosnell’s past misconduct includes a 2005 reprimand for giving special treatment to a judge charged with DUI and controversial remarks, as well as participation in Confederate re-enactments, indicating a history of questionable judicial behavior.

His attorney has expressed concerns about Gosnell’s safety in detention, citing his previous role in issuing warrants involving inmates, and federal marshals plan to house him in quarters that address these risks.

Gosnell’s case underscores the serious legal consequences for those involved in the distribution and possession of child sexual abuse material, as part of broader efforts by federal authorities to combat such crimes.

The judge handling Gosnell’s bond hearing denied bail, citing safety concerns, and Gosnell remains in custody until the preliminary hearing, which is scheduled for September 17, 2025.

Gosnell, who previously presided over high-profile cases including the 2015 Charleston church shooting bond hearing, has served as a magistrate in Charleston County for decades, but his career is now overshadowed by these serious allegations.

South Carolina magistrate judge James B. Gosnell Jr., aged 68, has been suspended from his judicial duties following his arrest on federal charges of possessing child sexual abuse material, with authorities revealing a disturbing cache of videos and images involving minors.

The suspension was ordered by the South Carolina Supreme Court on September 16, 2025, citing credible concerns that Gosnell's continued service posed a threat to public safety and the integrity of the justice system.

Gosnell was arrested after federal agents executed a search warrant at his residence, discovering a flash drive containing numerous videos and images of child abuse, which he claimed was received from an online contact and that his computer was hacked.

He remains in federal custody pending his bond hearing scheduled for September 17, 2025, with prosecutors from the U.S. Attorney’s Office handling the case and concerns raised about his safety in jail.

This case marks the second child pornography-related arrest of a South Carolina public official in 2025, following the June arrest of former State Rep. R.J. May, highlighting ongoing federal efforts to combat child exploitation.

Gosnell’s criminal case involves possession of child sexual abuse material, and he is scheduled for a preliminary hearing in federal court, with authorities revealing that over a hundred users were suspected of purchasing such material from a vendor linked to the case.