A convicted child sex offender in South Carolina violated his probation conditions and was released from jail the very same day.

In November 2025, Travis Reed Gaye pleaded guilty to a child sex crime involving the exploitation of an infant. As part of his plea deal, he agreed to strict probation conditions, including a ban on possessing sexually explicit material. The agreement was clear. If he violated probation, he would serve 10 years in prison.

Just weeks later, probation agents found Gaye in violation. According to arrest warrants, he possessed sexually explicit material across multiple apps and lied to officers about it. Yet instead of being sent to prison as promised, Gaye was released the same day on bond.

This sends a terrifying message to survivors, families, and the public. It tells us that even when the justice system sets clear consequences for child exploitation, those consequences are not enforced.

Children deserve better. Survivors deserve better.

Probation for sex offenders, especially those convicted of crimes involving children, is not a technicality. It is a last safeguard meant to protect the public. When that safeguard fails, the harm is not theoretical. It is real, and it is devastating.

We are calling on the South Carolina General Assembly and Attorney General Alan Wilson to take immediate action to ensure this never happens again by:

• Eliminating bond eligibility for convicted child sex offenders who violate probation
• Mandating immediate incarceration when probation conditions tied to sexual exploitation are breached
• Ensuring plea agreements with clear prison consequences are enforced without exception
• Prioritizing survivor safety and child protection over procedural leniency

Second chances should never come at the expense of children’s safety.

This is not about politics. It is about drawing a clear line and keeping it.

Sign this petition to demand that South Carolina stop granting second chances to convicted child exploiters and enforce the consequences that protect our most vulnerable.