DNA links ex-cop to SC sexual assault on child, York County prosecutor says in court

Andrew Dys
·2 min read
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DNA evidence links a former South Carolina police officer to a sex assault against a minor, prosecutors said Tuesday in court.

The former police officer, Charles Eugene “Chuck’’ Price, faces more than 50 charges that include criminal sexual conduct against minors and kidnapping, police and court records show. Price was a sergeant at the Winthrop University Police Department until he was fired days before his arrest in October 2020. He worked before that at police departments in Fort Mill and Clover, records show.

The alleged sexual assault charges involving child victims go back more than a decade, court records show.

Price’s lawyer, Ben Hasty, said in court that Price denies the allegations.

Price, 49, has been jailed without bail since his arrest. Price was in York County court Tuesday asking for bond until a trial is held.

Prosecutor: DNA shows Price had sex with child

In Tuesday’s court hearing, 16th Circuit Assistant Solicitor Sharon Ohayon told South Carolina Circuit Court Judge Bill McKinnon that prosecutors have DNA evidence that proves Price had sexual contact with a victim who was a child at the time.

Ohayon said in court there is other evidence that is overwhelming against Price in the assaults that went on for years.

Ohayon and 16th Circuit Solicitor Kevin Brackett opposed bond for Price.

Defense: Price denies charges

Price, who is being housed at the Lancaster County jail as a precaution because of his previous law enforcement ties, did not speak in court.

Hasty said in court that Price is neither a flight risk nor a threat to the community and deserves to have bond set. The allegations are from as long as 12 years ago and Price denies the allegations, Hasty said. Price has no criminal record, Hasty said.

“This is a man who was career law enforcement,” Hasty said in court. “He had no excessive force accusations. He’s not a violent person.”

Hasty said prosecutors have said the evidence is overwhelming, but he has not seen the DNA evidence.

“During the last hearing, the state by my summary promised a ‘slam-dunk’ on all these charges,” Hasty said. “However, none of that overwhelming evidence has played out. So while the state continues to wind up for their ‘slam-dunk,’ we ask that Mr. Price be allowed to stay home.”

McKinnon denied Price’s request for bail. No trial date has been set, but the lawyers in the case said a trial could happen as early as Spring 2022.