SLED arrests man who allegedly threatened, stalked SC Rep. Seth Rose and family

A 57-year-old man has been arrested by the State Law Enforcement Division for stalking and threatening S.C. Rep. Seth Rose and his family.

The man, Dewayne Simmons, of Blythewood, is being held at Richland County’s Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center on Bluff Road. His alleged motive is not known.

Rose and his family, which includes three children, were not harmed.

Rose was not named in press release SLED issued about Simmons’ arrest around noon Friday. But The State newspaper has confirmed he was the object of Simmons’ alleged threats.

Rose issued a statement on behalf of his family thanking law enforcement. He and his family had been terrorized for months by someone sending threats by mail. The letters contained detailed information about Rose’s family, according to evidence in the case.

A warrant in the case said: “Between the dates of Feb. 12, 2026, and April 15, 2026, Dewayne Simmons, willfully and knowingly authored written communications to the victim via the U.S. Postal Service, which contained a threat to the life of a public official.

“Between the dates of Feb. 12, 2026, and April 15, 2026, Sımmons used the United States Postal Service to deliver letters to the victim.

“The letters contained intimate details about the victim’s everyday life, places of employment, and children’s school. Specifically, one letter contained language that referred to potential vantage points near the victim’s employment and the use of a “silencer,” the warrant said.

The threats against Rose and his family had continued for months as SLED worked to identify the source of the threats, according to evidence in the case.

The charge against Simmons is a state law that prohibits “threatening the life, person or family of an official,” according to public records. The maximum penalty under state law for someone found guilty of this offense is a $5,000 fine or five years in prison, or both.

In recent weeks, law enforcement, including the Columbia police department, have overseen a heightened level of protection for Rose and his family while SLED investigators tracked down the source of the threats.

SLED has not said how it identified Simmons as a suspect.

In a brief interview, Rose said, “My family and I are extremely grateful for the efforts of law enforcement, specifically SLED Chief Mark Keel, SLED agent Dalila Cirencione and her team, U.S. Attorney Bryan Stirling, U.S. Postal Inspector Mike Rogers and Columbia police department Chief Skip Holbrook and his officers, who have been checking up on my home and my family.”

Rose continued, “I’m kind of at a loss for words. I can’t say enough about the job law enforcement did and the people they are.”

Holbrook said his officers had patrol cars in the neighborhood and were maintaining a watch on Rose’s house and well as monitoring matters through the department’s high-tech real time center.

“SLED did a fantastic job,” Holbrook said. “It seems like this guy was a legitimate threat.”

Rose, 45, is a popular House Democratic lawmaker and former member of the Richland County council. A former prosecutor with the 5th Circuit Solicitor’s office, he is a criminal defense attorney who handles cases in both state and federal court.

An eight-year veteran House member, Rose reflects the moderate to liberal views of his constituents in the Shandon area of Columbia. He is known for helping bring state money to finance improvements in his district such as the street upgrades in the Five Points commercial district.

This is a breaking news story and will be updated.

This story was originally published June 5, 2026 at 12:10 PM with the headline "SLED arrests man who allegedly threatened, stalked SC Rep. Seth Rose and family."