Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2008

Charges mount against former Aiken Co. school administrator

AIKEN -- Child molestation charges continue to mount against a former Aiken County school administrator after several additional victims have contacted state agents to report years of alleged sex abuse, dating back to the late 1970s that reportedly continue on through the early 1990s, according to officials.

Stephen Coke Eubanks, 67, of the 300 block of Belair Road in North Augusta, faces a total of 15 charges. Nine charges have been added to the list of six previous counts lodged against him on Oct. 21.

He was denied bond Tuesday on the most recent nine that include two counts of sec-ond degree criminal sexual conduct with a minor, engaging a child for sexual perform-ance, two counts of lewd act upon a child under 16, kidnapping, two counts of contribut-ing to the delinquency of a minor and enticing enrolled child from school.

In addition to working in Aiken County, Eubanks is a former school administrator with the Georgetown and Lancaster county school systems and state agents say they are also investigating in those areas.

The most recent victims to come forward are two males and a female who reported the abuse to the to the toll-free hotline established on Oct. 21, 2008, after the initial alle-gations surfaced.

Eubanks was accused last month of plying teenagers with alcohol and drugs and sexually abusing a North Augusta High School student and Paul Knox Junior High School student in the 1970s.

The investigator overseeing the case, Special Agent Paul LaRosa, said there have been other adults claiming abuse who have come forward but do not wish to press charges at this time.

"But they have stories to tell and we are listening," LaRosa said.

According to the latest series of arrest warrants, Eubanks is accused of having sexual intercourse with a 14-year-old boy at the former educator's Belair Road home between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31 of 1993.

The allegations include accusations that he and the teen watched pornography and engaged in masturbation and oral sex.

State agents say the suspect gave the teen alcohol and marijuana as well.

Another victim claiming he was 15 when he was abused also came forward, agents say.

According to arrest warrants, the then 15-year-old boy performed oral sex on the man at Eubanks' former Argyle Avenue home and at Paul Knox Middle School between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31 of 1977. He is accused of giving the teen alcohol and marijuana during that same time frame.

Investigators say Eubanks took that same child to several rest areas off Interstate 20 in Aiken County and forced him to perform sexual intercourse and/or acts with other, unknown adult men.

He is also accused of forcing a 15-year-old female student, between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31 of 1977, to fondle him outside of his clothes while they were inside his vehicle within the area of Five Notch Road and Celeste Avenue in Aiken County.

The victim claims he drove her from Paul Knox Middle School without her parents' knowledge.

The most recent allegations fall on the heels of similar accusations made by a victim whose claims against Eubanks are similar to those lodged by a victim sexually assaulted by former North Augusta Planning Commission Chairman Edward Meloan.

Meloan is in prison for sexually abusing teenagers in the late 60s and 70s. He was sentenced to 78 years in prison.

In both the Meloan case and Eubanks case, police say the victims initially ap-proached North Augusta Public Safety officers. Local police say the Meloan case may have triggered Eubanks' alleged victim to come forward with the accusations.

Accusations against Eubanks surfaced earlier this year.

On Sept. 19, North Augusta Public Safety contacted state agents with the allegations lodged against Eubanks. He was arrested late last month on the first series of accusations.

Investigators say thus far five victims have agreed to press charges against Eubanks, but they expect more victims will come forward.

On Tuesday, he turned himself in to the authorities, but despite his attorney's pleas to the contrary, the judge ordered that Eubanks stay in jail until he can appeal to a circuit court judge for bond and release.

Eubanks met state agents wearing jeans and a long sleeve shirt. He will be issued a jail jumpsuit and held at the Aiken County detention center.

In October, Eubanks was charged with lewd act upon a child under the age of 16, exposing of private parts, two counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor and one count of enticing children from school. According to investigators, those victims were students who attended North Augusta High School and Paul Knox Junior High in the 1970s.

There is no statute of limitations on sex abuse charges in South Carolina, state agents say.

Agents have not said whether the teens molested were students at the schools where he was an administrator.

Second Degree Criminal Sexual Conduct With a Minor is punishable up to 20 years in prison. Engaging a Child for Sexual Performance is punishable up to 20 years in prison. Lewd Act Upon a Child Under Sixteen is punishable up to 15 years in prison. Kidnapping is punishable up to 30 years in prison. Contributing to the delinquency of a minor is punishable up three years in prison and/or a $3,000 fine. Enticing enrolled child from school is punishable up to two years in prison and/or a $1,000 fine.

State agents have set up a toll-free hotline dedicated to this ongoing investigation. Anyone with information is asked to contact 1-800-414-2826.

(Provided through McClatchy-Tribune Regional News)

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