State v. Gaines

Justice WALLER:

Appellant, William H. Gaines, was convicted of three counts of criminal solicitation of a minor, in violation of a recently enacted statute, S.C.Code Ann. § 16-15-342 (Supp.2006). He appeals contending, a) evidence of prior chat room conversations was improperly admitted; b) he was entitled to an entrapment instruction; and c) he was entitled to a directed verdict. We disagree and affirm the convictions.

FACTS

Gaines, using the computer alias of HMMRTHEGRT8, engaged in internet communications on AOL chat rooms with a person he believed to be a twelve year old girl in…