Indictments: Former SC officers coerced sex; ignored cases

Four former South Carolina police officers who worked in the criminal investigations division for Horry County coerced women into sex or ignored cases they were supposed to be investigating, according to indictments released Friday by a state grand jury.

At least four lawsuits have been filed against one of the officers, Troy Large. One of the lawsuits accuses him of ignoring the case of a woman who said she was raped and then demanding she participate in a nude catfight or else he would make sure she lost visitation with her children.

Large is charged with six counts of misconduct in office and five counts of third-degree criminal sexual conduct. The South Carolina Attorney General’s Office didn’t immediately release the indictments against him, but said in a news release that Large coerced women into sexual acts and had inappropriate relationships with victims in cases he was investigating.

Large denied coercing women into sex in a deposition in one of the lawsuits. He couldn’t be reached for comment Friday.

The three other officers indicted Friday all face misconduct in office charges.

▪ Darryl Williams didn’t fully investigate crimes he was supposed to, the indictment said. He is charged with nine counts of misconduct in office.

▪ Todd Cox closed cases when the investigations weren’t finished, prosecutors said. He is charged with 16 counts of misconduct in office.

▪ Luke Green had a sexual relationship with a police informant and had sexual contact with a suspect he was arresting, according to indictments. He is charged with three counts of misconduct in office.

It wasn’t known if any of the former officers had lawyers.

The State Law Enforcement Division began investigating Horry County Police after county leaders discovered the allegations, Horry County Administrator Chris Eldridge said in a statement.

The county made significant changes in the police department’s criminal investigation division, which now has a new captain and deputy chief of operations. Horry County Police Chief Saundra Rhodes also abruptly retired.

“Horry County Police Department starts with new leadership at the top this Monday with the arrival of Chief Joe Hill,” Eldridge said. “Chief Hill’s focus will be continuing the review of accountability measures for officers.”

This story was originally published September 16, 2016 at 2:03 PM with the headline "Indictments: Former SC officers coerced sex; ignored cases."