Rock Hill man’s wedding ring IDs him in child sex video, SC prosecutors say in court
A Rock Hill man whose wedding ring helped police identify him in a video of a sexual assault on a child will spend the next 19 years in prison.
Prentiss Gerrell Green, 39, pleaded guilty Thursday in York County court to two charges. By pleading guilty, he avoided the possibility of facing decades more in prison if convicted at trial of nine other sex crime allegations, said his lawyer, Monier Abusaft.
Green pleaded guilty to second-degree criminal sexual conduct with a minor and first-degree sexual exploitation of a minor from 2022 crimes. Nine other charges from sex crimes and videos involving the same victim were dismissed as part of a negotiated deal between prosecutors and Green.
Prosecutor Hannah Woods told Judge Debra McCaslin Green’s wedding ring identified him in the videos, which were found on Green’s computer.
Green confessed to the sex crimes after he was confronted with the videos, Woods said..
The negotiated plea deal sends Green to prison and allows the victim to avoid the trauma of having to testify at a trial after the sexual abuse, Woods said.
Victim in court: Forgive but not forget
The victim was 12 years old at the time of the attack, Woods said.
Green knew the female victim. The Herald does not identify victims of sexual assault.
Several people were in court Thursday to support the victim, who spoke briefly to the judge. She described the hurt Green had caused.
“I will forgive, but I will not forget,” the victim said in court.
Green did not speak in court other than to admit the crimes.
Green also has to register as a sex offender after he gets out of prison. Judge McCaslin ordered Green have no contact with the victim for the rest of his life.
This story was originally published October 10, 2024 at 12:26 PM.
