Hearings Set for Sex Trafficking Defendants in Beaufort County
Five implicated in sex trafficking operation, hearings set for two defendants
In Beaufort County, preliminary hearings for two of the men arrested in a case involving sex trafficking are set to begin on Friday, July 19th. The defendants, Guy Frank Talley III, 27, of Okatie, and William James Youmans, 34, of Beaufort, are expected to appear before Magistrate Judge LaShonda Green Scott at 9:30 a.m. at the Beaufort County Detention Center.
No Hearing Date for Third Defendant
Alban Bryan, 63, of St. Helena Island, who is the third male defendant in the case, currently has no preliminary hearing date according to his judicial records. While Bryan is being represented by Public Defender Colin J. Hamilton, no legal representation has been documented for Talley and Youmans.
New Details Emerge
Although the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) has not released any official updates about the sex trafficking enterprise in Beaufort and Jasper Counties, new details have surfaced. Two more individuals, a man and a woman, were arrested by Hardeeville City Police. These arrests are believed to be connected to the sex trafficking case, however, a SLED spokesperson has not yet confirmed this connection.
Involvement of Additional Arrested Individuals
Terrance Lamar Fields, 50, was arrested and charged with Trafficking in Persons, Victim Under 18 Years of Age. Fields is believed to be a “John”, a term for a male client who makes payments or trades for sexual acts. Additionally, a 20-year-old woman, Ilaife Sylvia Meredith from Beaufort, was arrested and charged with Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor. Meredith reportedly transported some underage individuals and gave them a place to stay in hiding while the trafficking operation continued. Her first appearance in court is set for Friday, August 23 at 9 a.m. in Jasper County.
Overview of the Case
To date, five individuals, four men and a woman, have been arrested in connection to a human trafficking operation in Beaufort County. Bryan, Talley, and Youmans face serious charges of Trafficking In Persons, Victim Under 18 Years of Age. They remain confined at the Beaufort County Detention Center.
Escaped Inmate Linked to the Case
It has been confirmed that Jaquan Duvall Barnes, 28, a recent escapee from the Jasper County Detention Center, is also connected to the case. He escaped a day before arrest warrants were served. Barnes is already facing charges connected to human trafficking following his arrest on March 5 after he eluded police during a traffic stop and was later found with an underage girl in his car. As of now, Barnes remains at large.
Investigation Details
Multiple law enforcement agencies led by the S.C. State Law Enforcement Division (SLED), executed several raids at various Beaufort County residences on June 11. These operations resulted in the collection of valuable evidence and multiple arrests. It has been confirmed that several underage females were lured with the promise of jobs and subsequently drugged, forcibly given alcohol, held captive and forced to engage in sexual acts with paying customers. This horrifying human trafficking operation reportedly took place from February 1, 2024 through March 5, 2024. Sources confirm there are multiple victims as young as 14 involved in this case.
