A Hardeeville man turned himself in Friday after police accused him of sexually assaulting a minor multiple times in Beaufort County.
Jehikon Velasquez-Diaz, 39, was charged with second-degree criminal sexual conduct with a minor, according to the Beaufort County Detention Center.
The assaults were reported in early January 2022, according to Maj. Bob Bromage, a spokesperson from the Beaufort County Sheriff’s office. The assault took place between 2012 and 2015, he said.
If convicted of the felony, Velasquez-Diaz could face up to 20 years in prison for the assault, according to the S.C. Code of Laws. As of Monday afternoon, Velasquez-Diaz was still in custody at the detention center in Beaufort.
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 at Hopeful Horizons at 843-770-1070.
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.
This story was originally published May 9, 2022 at 5:27 PM.
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.
