Beaufort County restaurant owner arrested, charged with sexually assaulting employees, police say

Updated at 5 p.m. — A Habersham restaurant owner was arrested Thursday morning on charges of assault and battery and criminal sexual conduct — a month after he led a public protest against another businessman, in part for alleged objectionable behavior toward women.

Kenneth Reed, 47, owner of Maggie’s Pub and Eatery, was booked into the Beaufort County Detention Center on three counts of assault and battery in the second degree and two counts of criminal sexual conduct in the third degree, according to detention center records.

Since July 20, the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office has received reports from five woman saying Reed physically and/or sexually assaulted them, according to a Sheriff’s Office news release issued Thursday morning. The incidents occurred between May 2017 and May 2018 at Maggie’s Pub, Reed’s home and a Beaufort business where he works, the release said.

Sheriff’s Office investigators met with the five victims in recent months to obtain details, the release says. It says they also consulted with the 14th Judicial Circuit Solicitor’s Office during the investigation.

“They recommended that warrants be sought for Reed’s arrest for five offenses,” the release says.

As of late Thursday, Reed had yet to have a bond hearing and remained in detention center. He previously directed questioning about the incidents to his attorney, Jared Newman.

“No comment at this time as I need time to review the case,” Newman said when contacted Thursday.

Assault and battery in the second degree is defined as someone causing “moderate bodily injury” to another person that resulted in injury, according to the S.C. State House website.

“The act involves the non-consensual touching of private parts of a person, either under or above clothing,” the website says.

It carries a maximum $2,500 fine or imprisonment up to three years for each offense, according to the website.

Criminal sexual conduct in the third degree is punishable by no more than 10 years imprisonment for each offense.

A person is guilty of it if they engage in numerous actions including sexual battery and/or coercion to accomplish sexual battery. Sexual battery includes but is not limited to sexual intercourse and any intrusion of any part of a person’s body.

The Island Packet and Beaufort Gazette first reported allegations of assault from three former employees of Reed’s on Aug. 28. Each of the women had filed police reports in July. An investigation into the allegations was ongoing at the time the story was published.

Reed said he was unaware of the reports when contacted by a reporter in August. He also said via text that the reports were made up by the women to help his former business partner. The former partner denied Reed’s claims.

The Island Packet and Beaufort Gazette do not normally name sexual assault victims. Three of the women who filed reports have agreed to share their names and stories.

Chiara Benitez, 18, was the first woman to file a police report alleging assault against Reed on July 20. The report stems from a July 14 incident when she gave Reed a ride home from the restaurant, Benitez says.

“Hopefully justice will be served during court,” she said Thursday about Reed’s arrest. “I don’t have any other comment as of now.”

Reed brought his mouth to her breasts before she was able to push him away on the night of July 14, Benitez previously told the newspapers.

“He tries to push against me,” Benitez said. “I am telling him to stop touching me. I am getting louder with him. I am getting louder, and he is not listening. He pulls up my shirt all the way . . . the whole time I am telling him to stop.”

Two other employees decided to file reports a day later after hearing about Benitez’s claim.

Erin Wetherington, 32, says she was assaulted by Reed in March 2018.

She said Thursday she felt a mixture of emotions in recent months. She said those emotions continued after learning of Reed’s arrest.

“I have felt sad,” Wetherington said. “I’ve been angry. Happy has never been one of them until today. I have happiness that something is being done, but all those emotions are still mixed in.”

Wetherington said she hopes “justice will prevail” but knows a long road is ahead.

“The toll it has taken on me — I could go to jail for three months and it wouldn’t be anything like the experience that I will have to go through for the rest of my life,” Wetherington said.

Reed exposed himself to Wetherington while she was closing the bar one night, says a written statement she provided to police. He told her he wouldn’t leave until she performed a sex act, the statement says. She says in the statement that she told Reed “no” multiple times before he eventually forced himself into her mouth.

She ran to the kitchen where Reed grabbed her and started groping her, the statement says.

“He shoved me on to the sink,” Wetherington said. “He was trying to put his hand down my pants. I shoved him backwards. Luckily he was drunk, and he fell back far enough that I was able to run out the door.”

Kristen Fisk, 30, says she was groped multiple times between February and April. She said he also made sexual comments that made her uncomfortable.

An investigator on the case contacted Fisk as she was taking her morning run Thursday, she said.

“It was the best run ever,” Fisk said. “It was a great start to a great day. I am so relieved. Hopefully this will stop him from making the same choices.”

Fisk encouraged other women to come forward if they are going through similar situations.

Reed led a public protest on Aug. 17 against Gene Brancho, who formerly owned the website Eat Sleep Play Beaufort. The marchers claimed Brancho used unfair business practices and behaved in a way that made some women uncomfortable.

Reed said his reason for being involved in the protest was to support women who otherwise felt unsafe.

“I’ll be the guy,” Reed told the gathering before the protest. “Let him come to me, and I will push your voices forward. And if he wants to bully someone, it will be me. I have made it very public. I have made sure everybody knows that I am the one behind you guys trying to help organize it. If he has a problem, it is going to be because I pushed him.”

This story was originally published September 27, 2018 at 12:10 PM.