SC Senate candidate arrested on charges of sexual misconduct with a minor
A South Carolina Senate candidate vying to unseat a Democratic incumbent was arrested Wednesday on child sex abuse charges.
Michael Allan Letts, 56, of Columbia, was arrested by the Richland County Sheriff’s Office and faces charges including second-degree criminal sexual conduct with a minor between the ages of 11 and 14; second-degree criminal sexual conduct with a minor under 16; and third-degree criminal sexual conduct, according to the sheriff’s office.
Letts is accused of sexually abusing a minor child over the course of seven years.
The victim reported the abuse in January when Letts was 55, and he was arrested once the investigation ended, the Sheriff’s Office said. An incident report said the victim recently disclosed the abuse and said it started “by the subject having the victim sit on his lap and inappropriately touching her.”
Letts is currently being held in the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center, booking information shows.
Letts, a previously unsuccessful candidate for Richland County Council in 2012, filed last month as a Republican to unseat state Sen. Mia McLeod, D-Richland, who represents the northeast Richland Senate District 22 seat. Letts filed with two other Republican candidates.
His Twitter account says Letts is the CEO and founder of In-Vest USA, which provides free bulletproof vests for law enforcement.
Letts’ LinkedIn account also says he is a chaplain with the State Law Enforcement Division.
But a SLED spokesman told The State on Wednesday that any assertions by Letts that he is associated in any way with SLED are not true. A Richland County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson also confirmed that the Letts who was arrested is the same Letts who claims to be SLED chaplain on his LinkedIn profile.
Letts’ candidacy status on the S.C. Elections Commission website still lists him as active.
There is no South Carolina law on the books that prohibits someone who is charged with a crime from filing to seek public office.
The state Constitution, however, does prohibit convicted felons from seeking or serving public office, and those convicted must wait 15 years after their sentence is served to file for public office again, said Chris Whitmire, spokesman for the S.C. Elections Commission.
Because Letts filed as a Republican, the S.C. Republican Party can decertify his candidacy should they choose.
The deadline to certify candidates is Monday.
John Monk contributed to this report.
This story was originally published April 1, 2020 at 6:03 PM with the headline "SC Senate candidate arrested on charges of sexual misconduct with a minor."
