Posted on 03/25/2002 5:48:38 PM PST by aomagrat
(Columbia SC) March 25, 2002 - Lexington authorities raided a Lexington County piercing business saying the business was a haven for crime.
Police say Easy Piercing, Tanning, and Tobacco in Lexington housed big problems such as drugs, illegal body piercing and possibly even child pornography. The Lexington County Sheriff's Office launched a sting operation on the business after a parent called the department and reported her 15-year-old daughter was pierced without her permission.
Carrie Murphy, a neighboring business owner, says she's not at all surprised by the arrests, "A lot of traffic constantly and most businesses call for something next door. That is an established business and they didn't have near as many customers, so we definitely figure...we're not surprised."
Police arrested two men in connection with the crime. Darren McGee, 37, of Lexington was charged with one count of second degree criminal sexual conduct with a minor. Lexington authorities say McGee instructed the girl to remove her clothing before piercing her genitals.
Store owner Darrin Edwards, 36, of Lexington was also arrested. Edwards is the father of two and a Lexington County Youth football coach. Both Edwards and McGee have been charged with second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor based on pornographic pictures found on a computer when the business was recently raided.
According to some people some of the piercing pictures had suggestive titles such as "Heavenly Heather" or "Pretty Girl." Authorities say the computers hard drive also had pictures of children engaging in sex acts.
Police say they are trying to determine whether or not the children in the pictures were customers at the shop. Lexington County Sheriff James Metts says, "We believe it's a landmark case because we're going to charge these individuals under criminal sexual conduct second degree, which carries 20 years."
Metts adds, "There have been hundreds of people violated in this situation and we hope they will come forward so we make a stronger case against these individuals."
Hundreds of pieces of drug paraphernalia were also found on the premises. The paraphernalia is legal unless drugs are also found. Police say crank and marijuana were found in the shop. As a result, the two men also face drug charges.
Murphy says the arrests are a relief, "We didn't have any idea the degree that it was, so it is definitely a relief to get it out of the neighborhood. I have children and I wouldn't want that."
Edwards and McGee have been released on a $75,000 security bond. Metts says he would like to tighten up the laws when it comes to underage piercing. As it stands now, children can get a piercing with permission of their parents.
It's a self expression thing, or at least it used to be within a small sub-group or a sub-group. Kids getting pierced today is probably more of a rebellion issue than anything. If it'll pi$$ off the folks, then they're all for it.
The only mitigation I see here is that it's not like they're smoking crack - piercings can be taken out, perhaps with a scar, but they'll come out.
Haven't you ever wondered what would happen if they snagged that chain on something?! Yikes! I mean I can't even go a whole day without snagging my belt loops on something, if I had a piercing like that I'd be more nervous than the proverbial long tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs.
So? Why's he worried about that?
Lexington County investigators added child sexual exploitation to charges filed against two men, temporarily putting their Augusta Road body-piercing parlor out of business.
Darrin Eugene Edwards, 36, 205 Fields Lane; and Darren Martin McGee, 37, 1171 Danwood Ave., were each released Sunday on $75,000 bond, Sheriff James Metts said.
Edwards owns Easy Piercing, Tanning and Tobacco; McGee is his employee. Each was charged with three counts of second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor.
Metts said investigators found hundreds of pornographic pictures showing children in the nude and performing sex acts with adults on a computer at the business.
Deputies are still investigating whether any of the children were Easy Piercing customers.
"We've made a major dent into the illegal body piercing of minors as well as pornography," Metts said.
McGee also was charged with second-degree sexual assault of a minor in connection to the body piercing procedure done on a 15-year-old girl.
Investigators think this is the first time someone in the state was charged with sexual assault involving the body piercing of a minor.
The sex charge carries up to 20 years, a tougher penalty than a charge of performing body piercing on a minor, which carries up to a year of confinement.
"We do not need our children to be exposed to this," Metts said. "We have identified this place as a hangout for teen-age girls who we believe were violated."
The 15-year-old's mother told investigators she gave them permission to pierce her daughter's belly button.
But the girl went back March 3 without her mother's permission, officials said.
Metts said investigators considered the piercing procedure sexual assault because it involved penetration and because of the girl's age.
The procedure usually cost $55, but the girl paid $4, Metts said. Investigators aren't sure of the reason for the lesser charge.
The parlor mainly catered to young women and girls who came from as far away as Newberry, Lugoff, Ridgeway, Saluda and St. Matthews, the sheriff said.
The men were arrested Wednesday, the same day investigators seized hundreds of body-piercing paraphernalia and marijuana pipes, which can sell for as much as $240, Metts said.
Investigators also found in cabinets more than 200 Polaroid pictures, which show some of the body parts customers had pierced, Metts said.
Edwards, who has two sons and coaches a youth football team, also was charged with second-offense possession of marijuana, Metts said.
McGee also was charged with possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine and prescription painkillers, Metts said.
Edwards and McGee could not be reached for comment.
These guys look like real scumbags.
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