Midlands Boy Scout volunteer arrested for alleged attempt to engage in sexual act with minor

A Midlands Boy Scout volunteer was taken into custody for allegedly attempting a sex act with a minor.

Richland County Sheriff’s Department arrested Heath Mills, 34, on July 12 and charged him with two counts of solicitation of a minor. Mills was with the Indian Waters Council, a Midlands-based troop of the Boy Scouts of America.

Mills’ arrest was part of an undercover sting known as Operation Full Armor. Its mission included targeting people online and through social media who wanted to engage in sexual activity with the teens. The operation ended with 38 arrests. From July 10-13, authorities pretended to be girls age 14 or younger online and arranged to meet the people who propositioned them. When they showed up at at house they thought was the meeting place, authorities were waiting.

The Indian Waters Council is a chapter of the Boy Scouts of America that serves eight counties including Richland, Lexington and Kershaw. Douglas Stone, who heads the council, said in a statement that the troop “took immediate action to remove him [Mills] and prohibit him from any future participation in our programs” after learning of the arrest.

“His behavior is absolutely abhorrent and runs counter to everything for which the Boy Scouts of America stands,” Stone said. “We have been working closely with law enforcement and have met with the Scout parents and leaders of the troop and sponsoring organization where this person volunteered.”

The boy scout troop leaders have met with parents whose children were under Mills’ supervision, according to Stone’s statement. Stone said the organization has no indication that Mills harmed any youths who were part of the Boy Scout troop.

“Nothing is more important than the safety of our youth members,” Stone said in his statement. “We seek to prevent child abuse through comprehensive policies and procedures to serve as barriers to abuse. These include a thorough screening process for adult leaders and staff, criminal background checks, requiring two or more adult leaders be present with youth at all times during Scouting activities, and the prompt mandatory reporting of any allegation or suspicion of abuse.”

Mills was imprisoned at Alvin S. Glenn detention center in Richland County. He has since been released to await trial.

Solicitation of a minor as defined by the South Carolina constitution happens when a person “knowingly contacts or communicates with, or attempts to contact or communicate with, a person who is under the age of eighteen, or a person reasonably believed to be under the age of eighteen, for the purpose of or with the intent of persuading, inducing, enticing, or coercing the person to engage or participate in a sexual activity as defined in ... or a violent crime as defined in ... or with the intent to perform a sexual activity in the presence of the person under the age of eighteen, or person reasonably believed to be under the age of eighteen.”

A person convicted of solicitation of a minor faces up to 10 years in prison and a $5,000 fine. With two counts of the crime, Mills could serve 20 years in prison if found guilty.

Another person arrested as part of the undercover sting was an Army officer at Fort Jackson.

This story was originally published July 28, 2018 at 10:21 AM.