Tesalon Felicien

The Greenville News

A former Wade Hampton High School employee was arrested Wednesday on sexual exploitation charges, according to the South Carolina Attorney General's Office.

Daniel Brown, 38, of Greer is charged with 10 counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, according to the Attorney General's Office and Greenville County jail records.

Investigators received a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children which led them to Brown, the Attorney General's Office said. Investigators said Brown had images of child pornography.

Brown worked as a technology integration specialist at Wade Hampton High School. Principal Eric Williams notified parents of students in an automated telephone message.

Brown resigned last Wednesday and had worked at the school since 2012, said Williams said in the message to parents Thursday.

According to Greenville County jail records, Brown's bond was set at $100,000.

An investigation by the Greenville County Sheriff's Office Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force has not found any ties between Brown and any Wade Hampton students, Williams also said in the message.

"At this time investigators have assured us that no students were victims and that no district facility or equipment was used in the commission of a crime," Beth Brotherton, spokeswoman for Greenville County Schools, said in a statement.

In 2016, The Greenville News reported Brown taught fencing at Foothills Fencing Academy in Piedmont. At the time, The News article said he coached with seven different organizations in three states in a 17-year span.

Brown was also a fencing coach at Wade Hampton High School and helped coach at Next High School.

"I'm in total shock," said Judy McCarter, owner of Foothills Fencing Academy.

Brown's wife sent McCarter a text message last Wednesday saying he would step away from fencing indefinitely, McCarter said.

"We just assumed it was for educational reasons," said McCarter, who said Brown had worked as an instructor off and on for the past four years.

The Attorney General's Office will prosecute the case. The Sheriff's Office made the arrest.