COLUMBIA, S.C. — South Carolina state Representative RJ May, a founding member of the state’s ultra-conservative House Freedom Caucus, was arrested on Wednesday, June 11, 2025, and booked into the Lexington County jail, according to public jail records.
The 38-year-old West Columbia Republican was held pre-trial for the U.S. Marshals Service, suggesting he may soon face federal criminal charges, though no formal charges have yet been listed.
May’s legal troubles date back to August 2024, when federal investigators seized a trove of electronic devices from him, including a Lenovo laptop, Amazon tablet, four cellphones, four hard drives, multiple SD cards, DVDs, and 19 thumb drives. A federal court filing in October acknowledged the seizure, indicating the possibility of pending federal charges, but offered no detail on the nature of the alleged offenses.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office declined to comment on the arrest. An attorney who previously represented May has since parted ways with him, and his current legal representation remains unknown.
May was elected to the House in 2020 and quickly emerged as a leading voice in the state affiliate of the U.S. House Freedom Caucus, which he helped form in 2022. However, following news of the investigation, May lost his vice-chairmanship and was asked to leave the caucus before the 2025 legislative session.
Though he has remained largely silent during this year’s legislative session, May has continued to vote in line with the hardline caucus’s platform. He still easily won re-election in 2024, defeating his primary opponent with 68% of the vote and facing no general election challenger.
May, a Virginia native, is married with two children and owns Ivory Tusk Consulting, a political consulting firm aligned with far-right GOP campaigns.
If May is charged with a felony, he will be suspended from the South Carolina House under state law until the legal process concludes.
The district he represents includes Lexington County communities between Cayce, Red Bank, and Gaston.
