Fountain Inn Police Assist in State Case Against Local Man

Fountain Inn Police Department investigators assisted a South Carolina Attorney General’s Office investigation that resulted in the July 20, 2026, arrest of a Fountain Inn man on seven felony charges, according to a state announcement issued July 22.

The Attorney General’s Office identified the defendant as Jonathan Mark Peeples, 45, of Fountain Inn. The state said investigators with its Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force made the arrest with assistance from the Fountain Inn Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations.

What the state says the charges involve

Peeples is charged with two counts of second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor and five counts of third-degree sexual exploitation of a minor. The Attorney General’s Office said the charges involve alleged distribution and possession of child sexual abuse material.

Those charges are allegations, not findings of guilt. Peeples is presumed innocent unless and until he is proven guilty in court.

Who will prosecute the case

The South Carolina Attorney General’s Office said it will prosecute the case. The approved sources do not establish a conviction, plea, court outcome, or independently verified hearing date.

The local connection is the documented role of Fountain Inn police in the state-led investigation. The announcement identifies the Attorney General’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force as the agency that made the arrest; it does not describe Fountain Inn Police as the lead agency.

Fountain Inn is a city whose municipal limits extend across Greenville and Laurens counties, according to the city’s municipal court information. That provides local jurisdictional context, while the case is being prosecuted by the state Attorney General’s Office.

The Attorney General’s announcement is the primary public record for the arrest date, charges, participating agencies, and prosecution status. No additional case outcome was included in the approved sources.

Sources

• South Carolina Attorney General's Office arrest announcement
• City of Fountain Inn Judicial Courts jurisdiction page
• Atlanta News First report