Rock Hill teen pleads guilty in ‘worst nightmare’ armed sex assault, kidnap of victim
A Rock Hill teen has pleaded guilty to the 2019 armed sex assault and kidnapping of a woman, court records show.
Terry Shaimek Tyler, 18, pleaded guilty in York County criminal court to first-degree criminal sexual conduct, kidnapping, armed robbery, grand larceny, possession of a weapon during a violent crime and possession of a stolen gun, court records show.
Tyler pleaded guilty on July 8, which was before a trial would have started. It had bee scheduled for this week in York County criminal court, according to public records. Sentencing for Tyler is set for the week of Aug. 16 at the Moss Justice Center in York by S.C. Circuit Court Judge Bill McKinnon, documents in the case show.
Prosecutor Sharon Ohayon from the 16th Circuit Solicitor’s Office told The Herald that Tyler pleaded guilty to all the charges.
Zach Merritt, Tyler’s lawyer from the Michael L. Brown law firm in Rock Hill, confirmed to The Herald Tyler pleaded guilty to the charges, but declined further comment.
‘Every woman’s worst nightmare’
Tyler was arrested hours after the attack in February 2019 while driving the victim’s car, police and prosecutors said in previous court hearings.
Tyler had stolen the victim’s car after the attack and was captured by Rock Hill Police officers off India Hook Road. Several juveniles were in the car with him, officials said. The juveniles were not part of the crimes and were not charged, police and prosecutors said in previous hearings.
The victim was a stranger to Tyler, prosecutors and police said.
The Herald does not name victim’s of sexual assault.
In the previous hearings, prosecutors called what happened “every woman’s worst nightmare.”
The attack happened at an apartment complex near Winthrop University, officials said. Police recovered video and other forensic evidence from the building, officials said. Tyler confessed after his arrest, officials said previously in court.
What happens next?
Tyler, who was 16 at the time of the incident, could face more than 100 years in a S.C. Department of Corrections prison when he is sentenced, state law shows.
The kidnapping, armed robbery and rape charges each carry up to 30 years in prison, South Carolina law shows. The grand larceny charge carries 10 years and the weapons charges carry five years each, state law shows.
Tyler has been in custody without bond since his arrest in February 2019. He will remain in the York County jail without bail until sentencing.
This story was originally published July 14, 2021 at 1:06 PM.
