By PSA Newsroom Staff
BEAUFORT COUNTY, S.C. — Local law enforcement and federal investigators have arrested three men in separate child sexual offense cases, including two Beaufort County residents charged with child sex crimes and a former Marine Corps drill instructor with a history of conviction who was taken into custody on new charges.
Beaufort County Arrests
On Tuesday, Beaufort County deputies booked Christopher Scott Hershberger, 67, of Burton, on 10 counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, a mix of second- and third-degree felony offenses tied to alleged possession and distribution of child sexual abuse material. His bond was set at $150,000.
Minutes later, Brandon Scott Baker, 38, of St. Helena Island, was arrested on three counts of sexual exploitation of a minor — one second-degree and two third-degree charges — with bond set at $100,000. Authorities have not said whether the two cases are linked. Both men remain held in the Beaufort County Jail pending further proceedings.
Sexual exploitation in the second degree generally involves uploading or transmitting material to others, while third-degree offenses typically involve possession of child sexual material.
Former Drill Instructor Arrested on Child Crime Charges
Also in South Carolina, Joseph Felix, 34, a former Parris Island drill instructor, was arrested by the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office and charged with cruelty to children, with investigators specifying the allegations involved torture and deprivation. Felix was previously found guilty in 2017 and sentenced to 10 years in prison, receiving a dishonorable discharge following a court-martial tied to the 2016 death of a Marine recruit. That recruit died after jumping from a three-story structure during a hazing incident prosecutors said Felix helped facilitate.
Investigation and Prosecution
Beaufort County arrests were made with support from the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, and cases will be prosecuted by the 14th Circuit Solicitor’s Office. The former drill instructor’s arrest reflects collaboration between military and civilian authorities in identifying repeat offenders and bringing new charges.
All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.
