COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Longshot U.S. Senate candidate Alvin Greene was indicted Friday on two charges, including a felony charge of showing pornography to a South Carolina college student.
A Richland County grand jury indicted Green for disseminating, procuring or promoting obscenity — a felony — as well as a misdemeanor charge of communicating obscene materials to a person without consent.
Greene, who surprised the Democratic party establishment with his primary victory, was arrested in November after authorities said he approached a student in a University of South Carolina computer lab, showed her obscene photos online, then talked about going to her dorm room.
Greene declined comment at his home. He has also refused to talk about the charge in interviews.
Greene, 32, won a shocking victory in the June 8 Democratic primary. The unemployed military veteran handily defeated Vic Rawl, a former lawmaker and judge who had been considered an easy win by the party establishment.
WATCH MSNBC COVERAGE OF ALVIN GREENE:
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Up to that point, Greene had done no visible campaigning and had no website, fundraising or staff.
In the months since, Greene has given a series of awkward interviews to reporters clamoring for more information on the unemployed man who lives in Manning with his ailing father. In one interview, he suggested that the state’s economy could be improved by making and selling action figures depicting him in his uniform.
Last month, Greene gave his first public speech, a 6 1/2-minute recitation of his previous comments and commitment to jobs and education. He now has a website and says he has raised less than $1,000.
He faces Republican U.S. Sen. Jim DeMint in the fall. The popular incumbent has raised more than $3 million.
Associated Press writer Page Ivey in Manning contributed to this report.
Copyright 2010 The Associated Press.