Ouzts
Courtesy of PCSO
PICKENS COUNTY — On January 2, 2022, officials with the Pickens County Sheriff’s Office said Sheriff Rick Clark was advised of a possible inappropriate relationship between Chester Pierce Ouzts, an employee of the Pickens County Sheriff’s Office Detention Center, and a female inmate.
According to Chief Deputy Chuck James, the allegation was immediately turned over to the Pickens County Sheriff’s Office’s Office of Professional Standards who subsequently discovered sufficient evidence to turn the investigation over to the State Law Enforcement Division (SLED).
The investigation was turned over to the SLED on January 5, 2022, James said.
Following the allegation, Detention Officer Ouzts was placed on administrative leave on January 4, 2022 and was his employment with the Pickens County Sheriff’s Office was terminated on January 25, 2022.
Ouzts had been employed with the Pickens County Sheriff’s Office since 2018.
Warrants stated that Ouzts wrote letters to, kissed, provided money to and engaged in sexual acts with the inmate between October 1, 2021 and January 2, 2022.
The 58-year-old was arrested Friday and booked into the Pickens County Detention Center charged with first degree sexual misconduct with an inmate, misconduct in office, and misconduct in office by a public official.
He was later released on bond.
Reach Kasie Strickland at 864-855-0355.