NEESES, S.C. — A South Carolina man is facing a criminal sexual conduct charge after Orangeburg County sheriff's deputies said he sexually assaulted a boy at least 17 times.
According to the Times and Democrat, Duane Todd Laird, 51, of Neeses, was arrested July 7 amid allegations that he sexually assaulted the child, who was 13 and 14 at the time of the incidents, repeatedly from November 2018 to February 2020. Laird was taken into custody and later released on $55,000 bond.
Investigators also believe Laird may have had other victims, according to the post.
Deputies said 16 of the sexual assaults happened in Orangeburg County, while one occurred in North Carolina, the newspaper reported.
In a Facebook post Wednesday, the Sheriff's Office said it began investigating Laird in February after learning that he "may have been making inappropriate contact with students at a local school." A parent of the victim contacted deputies a week later, the department said.
"This case isn't over yet," Sheriff Leroy Ravenell said in a statement, adding that anyone with information should call the department at 803-534-3550 or 1-888-CRIME-SC.
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