York SC man admits sex attacks on child. Prison is next
A York man who raped a child several times over months has been sentenced to 17 years in a South Carolina prison.
Lester Floyd Varnadore, 50, pleaded guilty Friday in York County court to two counts of criminal sexual conduct with a child.
Varnadore confessed to police after the victim told officials of being raped on multiple occasions, according to Amber Holt, 16th Circuit assistant solicitor. The victim was 13 years old when the attacks started, Holt said. The attacks went on from October 2018 through February 2019, Holt said in court.
The victim told officials at a middle school in York about the assaults, Holt said. The S.C. Department of Social Services and York Police Department then began an investigation, records show.
When confronted with the accusations by York Police Department Lt. Billy Mumaw, Varnadore confessed, Holt said. Varnadore was arrested in February 2019 and has been jailed without bond, records show.
Varnadore faced as much as 40 years in prison if the case went to trial and he was convicted. Prosecutors offered a plea agreement of 17 years to avoid the victim having to testify in court about the repeated attacks, Holt said in court.
The Herald does not name victims of sexual assault.
Varnadore did not say anything in court other than to admit the crimes.
York County Circuit Court Judge Bill McKinnon accepted the plea agreement and sentenced Varnadore.
McKinnon also ordered that Varnadore have no contact with the victim for 25 years.
Additonally, Varnadore has to register as a sex offender after his release from prison, testimony showed.
