Sumter man charged after he allegedly drugged, sexually assaulted woman

Sumter County deputies have charged a Sumter man they say allegedly drugged and sexually assaulted a woman in September.

Braden Bunch, a sheriff’s office spokesman, said 23-year-old Devante Ricardo “Rico” Sanders was charged with first-degree criminal sexual conduct after he surrendered himself to the sheriff’s office Wednesday night. Sanders was recently named to the agency’s Most Wanted list.

Bunch said Sanders was wanted in connection with a Sept. 4 incident in which a woman was allegedly drugged and sexually assaulted in the 200 block of Murphy Street. In addition, Bunch said, Sanders also has multiple bench warrants for contempt of magistrate court, and he is currently on probation for drug possession charges.

The South Carolina Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services assisted the sheriff’s office in the search for Sanders, Bunch said.

Sanders was transported to the Sumter-Lee Regional Detention Center, where he remains in custody, Bunch said.

This story was originally published September 17, 2015 at 10:23 AM with the headline "Sumter man charged after he allegedly drugged, sexually assaulted woman."