EASLEY, S.C. — A South Carolina National Guardsman has been arrested following a year-long investigation that authorities say uncovered disturbing child sexual abuse material distributed online. Deputies with the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office took 45-year-old Jared Allen Dill into custody early Thursday morning at his home on Shefwood Drive after detectives obtained warrants for ten counts of second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor. Dill is currently being held at the Anderson County Detention Center.
A significant law enforcement presence was also observed at the 263rd Army Air and Missile Defense Command facility along Martin Luther King Boulevard, where investigators focused part of their operation. Dill served as a high-ranking member of the South Carolina National Guard assigned to that unit.
According to the sheriff’s office, the case began in September 2024 when detectives received multiple cybertips about Dill’s online activity. Timestamps found on recovered files indicate that he continued uploading child sexual abuse material until October 2025.
Investigators say the victims depicted in the files ranged from five to fifteen years old. Detectives also reported that Dill sent explicit images of himself to strangers while wearing his National Guard uniform, using his military position to bolster his credibility during these exchanges.
Sheriff Chad McBride condemned the conduct detailed in the warrants, saying that rank and uniform offer no protection for anyone engaged in this level of wrongdoing and stressing the department’s commitment to protecting children.
The investigation brought together multiple agencies, including the Pickens County Sheriff’s Office, Easley City Police, the U.S. Marshals Task Force, Homeland Security, and the Army Criminal Investigation Division. The South Carolina Attorney General’s Office will prosecute the case.
The South Carolina National Guard’s Public Affairs Office acknowledged Dill’s arrest, noting that the Guard takes all matters involving its service members seriously but could not provide additional information due to the ongoing nature of the investigation.
Court records show Dill received ten warrants under South Carolina Code §16-15-405(A), each carrying a $20,000 bond for a total of $200,000.
The 263rd AAMDC, where Dill served, is the only Army Air and Missile Defense Command within the National Guard and provides global air defense command-and-control support to active-duty units.
Authorities say evidence is still being reviewed, and further details may emerge as the investigation continues. The Salty Soldier will provide updates as new information becomes available.
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