Kershaw County man sentenced to 25 years for sexual assault of a minor

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January 22, 2025

On Dec. 18, 2024, following a three-day trial, a Kershaw County jury found Jonathan Dwayne Wilson guilty of criminal sexual conduct with a minor in the first degree related to the sexual abuse of a minor. The Honorable Robert E. Hood sentenced Wilson to 25 years in the South Carolina Department of Corrections.

The jury heard testimony from Kershaw County Sheriff’s Office deputies and investigators that on Nov. 5, 2017, they responded to a report of a physical altercation at the defendant’s place of residence. Upon arrival, responders learned that the victim’s father assaulted the defendant after the victim disclosed the sexual assault.

A subsequent investigation revealed the victim and other children from her extended family had a sleepover the previous night, and Wilson entered the bedroom where the children slept and digitally penetrated the victim. She disclosed the assault to her brother and father the following day, and her father immediately confronted Wilson.

Jurors also listened to testimony from the victim’s father, the victim, another minor, and the homeowner corroborating the victim’s account. They returned a guilty verdict after approximately two hours of deliberation.

Kershaw County Sheriff’s Office Investigator Renee McLeod and Lieutenant Benjamin Royalty led the investigation. The Fifth Judicial Circuit Solicitor’s Office, represented by Assistant Solicitors Michael Bradbury and Christa Bell, prosecuted the case.

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