TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2014
75 CENTS
CLARENDON SUN:
Quarterfinal questions
Judge Dingle breaks barriers
CH, TSA girls look to earn 2nd-round victories in SCISA state tournaments B1
C1 SERVING SOUTH CAROLINA SINCE OCTOBER 15, 1894
Menace to society or reformed man?
Clarendon jailer jailed Former detention officer accused of card info theft BY BRISTOW MARCHANT bmarchant@theitem.com (803) 774-1272
TYLER SIMPSON / THE SUMTER ITEM
Adam Lee Welch, right, faces the possibility of being institutionalized in a mental health facility if a jury sees him as a sexually violent predator. Welch was charged with 12 counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct with a minor in 1991. Welch’s attorney, Dickie Jones, is seen at left during testimony at the Sumter County Judicial Center on Monday.
Court to decide if convicted child molester is public threat BY TYLER SIMPSON tyler@theitem (803) 774-1295 A 51-year-old man who pleaded guilty to 12 counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct with a minor in Sumter County back in February 1991 could be institutionalized into a mental health facility if a jury sees him as a sexually violent predator under the state’s Sexually Violent Predator Act. Adam Lee Welch appeared in court Monday as the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office worked toward having him committed into the state’s program. Welch was initially sentenced to 30 years in prison after pleading guilty to having sexual intercourse with a 9-year-old girl at least a dozen times. During his incarceration, Welch was treated at Gilliam Psy-
chiatric Hospital, a hospital within the Department of Corrections, where he was diagnosed with pedophilia. Testifying on the state’s behalf on Monday was Dr. Susan Knight, a clinical assistant professor at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, who conducted a series of psychiatric evaluations to determine if Welch would likely or not commit the same criminal acts again. She also reviewed the history of Welch’s sexually criminal acts to reach her conclusion. “The best predictor of future behavior is past behavior,” Knight said. “If somebody has a history of sexual offenses, then they are more likely to engage in sexually offending behavior in the future. So it’s important to know their past.” Welch’s attorney, Dickie Jones, addressed in his opening statement
how the Attorney General’s Office brought in Dr. Knight to conduct the evaluation after the first specialist, Dr. Kimberly Harrison with the Department of Mental Health, determined that Welch did not need to be committed. During his cross examination of Knight’s testimony, Jones questioned the relevance of a psychiatric evaluation made years ago while Welch was incarcerated, on which Knight had based part of her evaluation. He also questioned how Knight could state that Welch is most likely to engage again in a criminal sexual act when she stated that he would only be 15 percent likely, which is not a high percentage. “This is about the difference between a scalpel and a meat axe,”
SEE WELCH, PAGE A9
A Clarendon County detention officer now finds the jail shoe is on the other foot. Terrance Lavon Watson, a former officer with Clarendon County Detention Center, is now locked up in the detention center himself, accused of stealing an inmate’s credit card information to pay his personal bills. Watson, 33, of 3832 St. Paul Road, Summerton, is accused of credit card theft and financial transaction card fraud. The case began Nov. 5, when a Manning man was booked into the detention center. Later the man, now out of jail, noticed a strange charge to his wife’s credit WATSON card. Manning police were alerted Feb. 14 to the potential fraud. Credit card records show on Nov. 25, some three weeks after the man was in detention, a GEICO insurance bill in Watson’s name was paid using the number of a credit card the former inmate had in his possession when he was booked. “It turns out one of the jailers got access to his credit cards and apparently copied the credit card information,” said Manning Police Chief Blair Shaffer. Armed with Watson’s name and address — which were listed on the victim’s credit card statement — investigators quickly confirmed he was a detention officer at the county jail. He was taken into custody on Thursday and booked into his former workplace. The total cost of the insurance bill charged to the victim’s card is $360.54. Jail administrator Col. Shelton L. Hughes Jr. confirmed Monday that Watson is no longer employed with the detention center, although he declined to comment further on the case or any internal investigation the detention center is conducting into the incident. Shaffer thinks other inmates may also have been victims of theft. “If you’ve been arrested in Clarendon County, you need to check your bank account or your credit card statement,” the police chief said. “It might have been some time after (someone’s arrest). This happened three weeks later, so you might not make the connection that it happened at the jail.” In the meantime, at least one inmate at the detention center won’t have to worry about who’s handling his credit cards.
Despite springlike weather, heat appreciated by those in need BY JACK OSTEEN Jack@theitem.com Now that the ice storm of 2014 is behind us and warmer weather seems to be here, Sumter residents will hopefully be finding some relief from the cold nights. With a much better week of donations than the week prior, more folks can get some relief from the icy wallop delivered by Old Man Winter to Sumter County and the surround-
VISIT US ONLINE AT
the
.com
ing area recently. However, Salvation Army Social Worker Pamela Lassiter is still booked up with nearly 200 appointments along with getting daily calls asking for help and assistance. “Lately we have really had some folks who just can’t thank us enough,” she said. “I often remind those who do complain and fuss that this money comes from the kindness of people who just want to do something nice and
help those in need.” Lassiter said she recently helped a family that had to move because of the father’s health, and the mother had to take a leave of absence in order to help. The family had recently exhausted all its money on rent, so the Fire-
DEATHS, B4, B5 Annie Caroline T. Cody Rhonda P. Burr Dorothy Mae T. Shaw The Rev. Annie L. Alford Emma G. McFadden Elias Greene Jr. Albert Tomlin
Hillard S. Dura Dora Jane Lee Linda W. Franklin Velma B. Glover Fred F. McMillon Patricia Ann Burroughs
side Fund was their last chance for help. The woman was overwhelmed with appreciation and said she didn’t know what she would have done without this assistance. Lassiter also wants to remind residents that they are still taking applications for the free smoke detectors which include delivery and installation by the Sumter Fire Department. Come by the local office to fill out an application. Founded in 1969, the Fire-
side Fund collects money for those Sumterites who need help with heating costs, including past-due electric bills and vouchers for kerosene and wood. The Sumter Item collects the money, and The Salvation Army interviews candidates, who must provide a valid form of picture identification, paycheck stubs and copies of late bills. This year’s Fireside Fund is dedicated to the late Glen
SEE FIRESIDE, PAGE A12
WEATHER, A12
INSIDE
SHOWERS LATE
3 SECTIONS, 24 PAGES VOL. 119, NO. 112
Intervals of clouds and sunshine; a little late-night rain HIGH 66, LOW 46
Clarendon Sun C1 Lotteries A12 Classifieds B7 Opinion A10 Comics B6 Television A11