Former Rock Hill Teacher Indicted for Possession and Distribution of Child Sexual Abuse Material

COLUMBIA, S.C. - A federal grand jury in Columbia returned a five-count indictment, presented by the U.S. Attorney's Office, charging Douglas Melvin MacAlpine, 38, of York, for possession and distribution of child sexual abuse material.

The indictment alleges that Douglas MacAlpine used the Kik social media application at least four times to distribute files containing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) to other Kik users in the fall of 2024. Subsequent state and federal search warrants revealed MacAlpine's cell phone and Kik accounts contained hundreds of CSAM files. The indictment further alleges that MacAlpine possessed CSAM material in March 2025.

MacAlpine faces a maximum penalty of 20 years' imprisonment, a fine of $250,000, special assessments of up to $40,000, and lifetime supervision. He also faces sex offender registry requirements, if convicted. MacAlpine is currently detained pending trial.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.

The case was investigated by the FBI Columbia Field Office and the York County Sheriff's Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Matthews is prosecuting the case.

All charges in the indictment are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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* The term "child pornography" is currently used in federal statutes and is defined as any visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct involving a person less than 18 years old. While this phrase still appears in federal law, "child sexual abuse material" is preferred, as it better reflects the abuse that is depicted in the images and videos and the resulting trauma to the child.