South Carolina Attorney General Henry McMaster has asked Buckmaster to remove any ads soliciting prostitution or pornographic materials involving South Carolina.

The request comes just weeks after an attack at a Massachusetts hotel and another attack in neighboring Rhode Island that ended in murder. The attacks have led authorities to pressure Craigslist.

McMaster has given the company until May 15 at 5 p.m. Eastern time to remove the ads or be subject to possible prosecution, according to his letter to Buckmaster.

Seeking a Solution

"We look forward to speaking directly with Attorney General McMaster about his concerns, and finding ways to address them without compromising the utility of Craigslist for South Carolinians, or anyone's constitutional rights," Buckmaster said on his blog. "However, we see no legal basis whatsoever for filing a lawsuit against Craigslist or its principals and hope that the attorney general will realize this upon further reflection."

After coming under fire last year for enabling prostitution, Craigslist worked with and signed an agreement with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and state attorneys general to add safeguards to the site and deal with unlawful activity.

As a result of the November agreement, Craigslist required posters of "erotic services" ads to include a phone number and pay a fee to be donated to charity. The agreement was expected to reduce illegal posts and help law-enforcement officials track illegal activity.

Craigslist also includes a long list in its frequently asked questions page stating what is not permitted on the site. Number one on the list is obscene material or child pornography. Listed second is solicitation for illegal prostitution.

"Craigslist has been working closely with law enforcement on these very issues, and by all objective measures has decreased misuse dramatically (approximately 90 percent) since Craigslist and 43 attorneys general entered into a joint statement less than six months ago," Buckmaster said.

Craigslist Killer

But McMaster said in his letter, "Craigslist has not installed sufficient safeguards since November to prohibit the Internet site from being used as a vehicle to advertise or solicit prostitution." Unrestricted pornographic material accessible by minors is also a concern, according to McMaster.

Buckmaster said, "Given the progress that has been made dealing with these tremendously complex issues in a very short time, and the ongoing collaboration between Craigslist and law enforcement to make further improvements, we urge Attorney General McMaster to look closely at the facts before proceeding with his threat."

Philip Markoff, 23, has been dubbed the Craigslist Killer and has been charged with one count of assault with intent to commit robbery, one count of assault with a dangerous weapon, possession of a handgun without a license, and one count of using a firearm while committing a crime of violence, according to the office of Rhode Island Attorney General Patrick Lynch.

The first two counts carry 20-year maximum penalties. The second two charges carry maximum penalties of 10 years.