Kershaw County deputies charge teen with several counts of criminal sexual assault

Kershaw County deputies charged a 17-year-old suspect Tuesday with several counts relating to criminal sexual conduct after he allegedly assaulted two minor victims in January.

Sheriff Jim Matthews said Dewayne Hendrix, of Gaston, has been charged with two counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct and two counts of second-degree criminal sexual conduct in connection with the investigation.

Matthews said on Jan. 17, a family member for a 13-year-old female victim notified Kershaw County investigators that the girl has been sexually assaulted by Hendrix at a residence in Lugoff. The victim provided investigators with a forensic interview in which she detailed the assault.

The following day, Matthews said the mother of a 12-year-old boy reported to investigators that Hendrix had sexually assaulted her son over an extended period of time.

Investigators obtained warrants for Hendrix and discovered he moved to Gaston in Lexington County, Mathews said.

After notifying Lexington County Sheriff’s Department officials of their investigation, Matthews said Lexington County deputies were able to apprehend Hendrix on Kershaw County warrants.

Matthews said after Hendrix was taken into custody, he admitted to the first two assault s and also to two additional sexual assaults, for which additional warrants were obtained.

Hendrix is being held at the Kershaw County Detention Center and will appear before a Circuit Court judge for a bond hearing at a later date, Matthews said.

Hendrix has no record of any previous arrests, Matthews said.

This story was originally published February 4, 2016 at 11:29 AM.