GREENWOOD, S.C.; August 15, 2024 – A child molester is headed to prison for 35 years after a Greenwood County jury found him guilty Wednesday afternoon of charges stemming from the sexual assault of a child, 8th Circuit Solicitor David M. Stumbo announced Thursday.
Apache Shaman Lawrence, 35, was convicted of first-degree criminal sexual conduct with a minor and unlawful neglect of a child. Circuit Judge Eugene Griffith then sentenced Lawrence to 35 years in prison. Lawrence will be required to register as a sex offender and mandatory GPS monitoring. State law requires that any sentence for first-degree criminal sexual conduct with a minor be served day-for-day, meaning Lawrence will not be eligible for parole.
In 2022, the victim disclosed to law enforcement that Lawrence had sexually abused her starting at age 9. She provided text messages from Lawrence wherein he admitted to the molestation.
Assistant Solicitor Madison Hoffman and Senior Assistant Solicitor Elizabeth Taylor prosecuted the case for the state, with assistance from 8th Circuit Investigator Windy Chappell and 8th Circuit Victim Advocate Rhetta Smith. Lawrence was represented by Monier Abusaft of the Spartanburg County Bar.
Solicitor Stumbo praised the work of his staff, along with the investigative work of the Greenwood County Sheriff’s Office, in securing the conviction and lengthy prison sentence.
“There simply are not words adequate enough to describe the evil that sexual abusers like Apache Lawrence callously unleash on their innocent victims,” Solicitor Stumbo said following the sentencing. “These cases are among the most critical that we prosecute and my office will continue to relentlessly pursue justice for child victims of sexual predators.”