5 years after child was sexually assaulted, a West Columbia man is charged

A West Columbia man is charged with three child sex offenses dating back to 2012, police announced Wednesday.

Michael Todd Slater is charged with first-degree criminal sexual conduct with a minor and two counts of third-degree criminal sexual conduct with a minor, the Cayce Department of Public Safety announced in a release Wednesday morning.

The charges were the result of a Cayce Public Safety investigation into incidents that happened between June 2012 and November 2013, while the victim was less than 13 years old, police said. Slater was placed in the Lexington County Detention Center.

The investigation is ongoing, and police expect to release additional information next week.

First-degree criminal sexual conduct with a minor carries up to 30 years in prison, since the child was under 16 years of age, under South Carolina law. Third-degree criminal sexual conduct with a minor carries up to 15 years in prison.