GREENWOOD, S.C.; September 10, 2024 – An undocumented man living in Greenwood has now been sentenced Monday to 10 years in state prison after pleading guilty to a charge stemming from a 2022 sexual assault, 8th Circuit Solicitor David M. Stumbo announced Tuesday.
Rudy Mancelo Renoj-Tepe, 40, pleaded guilty through a certified court interpreter Monday afternoon at the Greenwood County Courthouse to a charge of first-degree criminal sexual conduct. Circuit Judge Eugene C. Griffith sentenced Renoj-Tepe to 10 years in prison. The crime is considered violent and most serious under South Carolina law, therefore Renoj-Tepe must complete at least 85 percent of the sentence and is not eligible for a parole hearing. Upon completion of his sentence, Renoj-Tepe will be remanded to the custody of federal immigration officials to face deportation. The Court also issued a permanent restraining order for the victim’s protection, and ordered that Renoj-Tepe be placed on the sex offender registry.
In August 2022, police were called to a south Greenwood residence following the report of a male holding a female down inside a car. Officers made contact with a neighbor of the victim who said he heard a commotion outside and found Renoj-Tepe holding down a female in the back seat of an SUV. Officers spoke with the victim who told them that Renoj-Tepe assaulted and digitally penetrated her after she repeatedly rejected his advances and told him she did not want to have sex with him. The victim appeared nervous and shaken while speaking with police.
Senior Assistant Solicitor Elizabeth Taylor prosecuted the case for the state, with assistance from 8th Circuit Victim Advocate Rhetta Smith. Renoj-Tepe was represented by Matthew Pinckney and Jamison Tinsley of the Greenwood County Bar.
Solicitor Stumbo praised the work of his staff in securing the conviction and prison sentence.
“’No’ means ‘no’ in any language, and the best place for men like this who cannot respect a woman’s wishes is behind bars,” Solicitor Stumbo said. “I am pleased to see another person who is not here legally and breaking our laws taken off of the streets of our community. I am also glad that our veteran Greenwood prosecutors secured this conviction and sentence without our victim having to relive her nightmare on the stand during a long, painful trial. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to fight for our crime victims.”