A veteran Bennettsville police officer has been indicted on two more charges in connection with molesting young boys.
There are now six state grand jury indictments against Jerry Starnes.
According to the indictments, Starnes molested four boys between 1969 and 1981.
SLED began an investigation in 1997 after the initial complaint, but that case never made it to court.
Two more men came forward in 2004 and that lead to Starnes being arrested last year.
Court officials say his trial is scheduled to begin next month.
Starnes is on administrative leave without pay from the Bennettsville Police Department.
More Information: http://www.scnow.com/scp/news/local/pee_dee/article/bennettsville_police_officer_faces_more_indictments/29374/
2 comments:
I know Jerry Starnes myself personal and his family. At first I didn't want to believe any of this on Jerry. Thinking maybe he made some people mad and they started some rumors since no charges we ever made. Sad to say but the good old buy system still is alive and well here in Bennettsville SC. To pled guilty is an admission of guilt. Back in the Seventys some of these boys came foward to expose Jerry Starnes. These acusations had been made years ago agaist Starnes and know they could have been proved much eaiser back then the horrendous acts made agaist these little boys. Why was it swept upner the rug? Because he was a police officer? The police disbanned the Jr police Why wern't Charges filed years ago? The Victims were still kids,today they are grown men that have had to live with this act of violence. Living in silence with no protection from the law of a deed that was subjected on them by a Marlboro County police officer. This was a horrendous act of violance Jerry Starnes place upon these unsespecting boys and he was allowed to contuniue being a police officer holding high positions within our City and County Police Police Departments. I ask you Why? Is this justice? did he stop molesting boys after the Jr Police was disbanned? will Marlboro County give Jerry Starnes his job back? Was he was on the Marlboro County or City payroll until recently? Where was our SLED? Just so many questions that are unanswered. And the last...how can people live with themselves knowing what happened to the boys of our community? Jerry Starnes pleds guilty and only gets probation! Where is the Justice? Are we all CRAZY? I would like to say to the victims of Jerry Starnes Im sorry this happen to you and you were not protected by Our Law Enforcement Agencys! You all are very Brave men for comming foward and being so pursistant that these charges be filed and brought to trial. The Law still protects Starnes as it seems he is untouchable. It sickens me Starnes only got 5 years probation for the acts he has commited agaist these little boys fighting since they were small kids for justice to be served! Starnes only gets five years probation. Where is our JUSTICE and how can this happen?
I believe that these charges on Jerry Starnes are obserd! I have known this man and his family for quite some time now and would have never guessed that something like this would have happened. Do you not find it odd that after all these years suddenly these charges against him are brought up out of no where? To me this sounds like a couple of kids are furious with him for a previous arrest of some sort and are looking for a way to "get back" at him. And I must say that apparently they have succeeded. Jerry Starnes is a well known and respected man in the town of Bennettsville and has been in law enforcement for many years now. I also personally know many of the men on the Bennettsville law enforcement and have for many years. And to the people who have been fooled by these pathetic soles, you should be ashamed of yourself for believing them over this man who has protected the high crime rate town of Bennettsville for all these years!
Post a Comment