CONWAY, SC (WBTW) – A lawsuit has been filed against the Horry County Police Department by the father of a teenager who was reportedly raped in 2013.
The victim’s father is suing the department for negligence and failure to properly investigate. Neither the father nor the victim is named in the lawsuit, but it does state that the teenager was just 15-years-old at the time of the assault.
The parents reported the assault in March of 2014, and it wasn’t until last month that an arrest was finally made.
The lawsuit says the parents told police there were two witnesses to the crime, but detectives said there was insufficient grounds to move forward and closed the case.
Recently, the case was re-opened, and police arrested 20-year-old Brian Scott Perry for third degree criminal sexual conduct..
“The actual prosecution of this criminal sexual assault is taking place almost three years subsequent to the heinous sexual assault to to said defendant’s failure to thoroughly investigate and obtain witness corroboration at the time first reported,” the lawsuit said.
According to the county’s detention center records, Perry was arrested on March 30th and released the same day on a $5,000 bond.
Perry was about 17-years-old at the time of the alleged sexual assault, and the lawsuit claims he used Four Loco, an alcoholic drink, to get the victim drunk and then rape her.
News13 reached out to Horry County Police Department Spokesperson Raul Denis to see why the case was re-opened and to see if he had comment on the lawsuit. At the time of this article, we hadn’t heard back.
About four months ago, News13 told you about a different lawsuit filed against the Horry County Police Department.
In that case, a woman sued claiming a detective assaulted her after she was raped in 2013.
The new lawsuit filed last week references that case. claiming it further proves negligence on the department.
Kenneth Blaine Massey is the attorney representing the father and sexual assault victim, and he says he has no comment on the case at this time.
According to Thom Berry with the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, SLED is investigating officers in the department.
