A Hardeeville man has been charged after police accused him of sexually assaulting a woman in August at a home in Bluffton.
Terrence Heyward, 49, of Hardeeville was charged on Oct. 29 with third-degree criminal sexual conduct, according to the Beaufort County Detention Center jail log. The assault took place on Aug. 23 at a home in Mill Creek, a community south of Sun City Hilton Head, Bluffton Police Department spokesperson Lt. Christian Gonzales said.
If convicted of the felony, Heyward could be sentenced to up to 10 years, according to the S.C. Code of Laws. An attorney for Heyward could not immediately be reached for comment.
As of Monday morning, Heyward remained in custody at the Beaufort County Detention Center.
If you or someone you know has been affected by sexual assault, help can be reached at the National Sexual Assault Hotline at (800) 656-4673. Or visit the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network site.
When we publish mugshots
The Island Packet and Beaufort Gazette publishes police booking photos, or mugshots, in the following instances:
In situations where a public figure or someone in a position of public trust is arrested
In cases where there is an immediate and widespread threat to public safety
In cases where the arrested person is accused of a crime reporters have evidence to believe involved numerous, unknown victims
Reporters will avoid using mugshots as lead images for online articles in order to limit their circulation on social media, except in cases where the public is served by the immediate identification of the accused. Reporters and editors may use discretion in situations that don’t meet the criteria outlined in this policy but still present a compelling reason to publish a mugshot.
Sofia Sanchez is a breaking news reporter at The Island Packet and Beaufort Gazette. She reports on crime and developing stories in Beaufort and its surrounding areas. Sofia is a Cuban-American reporter from Florida and graduated from Florida International University in 2020.
