York County woman charged with sexual assault, giving drugs and alcohol to minor
A York County woman has been charged with sexual assault against a child and giving the minor drugs and alcohol, officials said.
Tara Lynn Canty, 35, of Rock Hill, was arrested Wednesday by detectives and patrol deputies after a two-week investigation, said Trent Faris, spokesman for the York County Sheriff’s Office.
Canty is charged with two counts of second-degree criminal sexual conduct toward a child, third-degree sexual exploitation of a minor, dissemination of obscene material to a child, and contributing to the delinquency of a minor, according to arrest warrants and incident reports obtained by The Herald.
Canty faces up to 78 years in prison if convicted of the charges, South Carolina law shows.
During questioning by sheriff’s office detectives, Canty admitted sex acts with the child on more than one occasion, according to arrest warrants and police documents.
The investigation was launched in late July after family members of the victim called police, reports show. Canty texted a partially nude picture of herself to the victim, according to the arrest warrants.
Canty also provided alcohol and marijuana to the victim, the warrants state.
Criminal sexual conduct against a child in the second-degree involves a victim between the ages of 11 and 14, and carries a sentence of up to 30 years for each conviction, South Carolina law shows.
Sexual exploitation of a minor carries a potential penalty of 10 years for a conviction. Dissemination of obscene material has a maximum penalty in South Carolina of five years in prison. Contributing to the delinquency of a minor carries a potential punishment of three years in prison, South Carolina law shows.
Canty remains in the York County jail pending an initial bond hearing, jail and court records show.
