Berkeley detention center nurse charged after allegedly groping inmate

South Carolina Law Enforcement Division officials said they have charged a former Berkeley County Detention Center nurse with assault after she allegedly pulled an inmate’s penis during an examination in 2013.

Thom Berry, a SLED spokesman, said 43-year-old Jennifer Lee Scott was charged with second-degree assault and battery in connection with the investigation. The charge is a misdemeanor, which carries a maximum sentence upon conviction of up to three years in prison, a $2,500 or both.

An affidavit filed by SLED agents revealed that in May 2013, Scott was providing contraband to inmates by stuffing illegal items in sandwiches as the inmates took their medications.

One of the sandwiches was stuffed with cigarettes, a lighter, a baggie containing pills and a baggie containing a white, powder-like substance, the affidavit said.

Scott allegedly gave the sandwich to an inmate, but “grabbed the sandwich back from (the inmate) and gave it to another inmate,” the affidavit said.

A few days later, the inmate returned to Scott complaining of chest pains. When Scott began to check the inmate’s vital signs she “reached inside (the inmate’s) Berkeley County Detention Center issued uniform and placed her hand on (his) penis,” the affidavit said.

Scott then allegedly asked the inmate, “Is there anything I can do to make you forget about what happened the other night?” the affidavit said.

The inmate told Scott to remove her hand from his penis, which is when Scott allegedly “pulled (his) penis forcefully causing him physical pain ... Scott also pulled out several pubic hairs,” the affidavit said.

Scott was booked at the Berkeley County Detention Center, and the case will be prosecuted by the Ninth Circuit Solicitor’s Office, Berry said.

This story was originally published September 29, 2015 at 3:36 PM.