Staff Writer

A Union man accused of molesting an 11-year-old girl turned himself in to authorities Thursday evening.

James Cleveland Hinson, 20, of 271 Meansville Road, Foxfire Apartments, was taken into custody at Union Public Safety headquarters. He was charged with assault with intent to commit criminal sexual conduct and committing a lewd act upon a minor.

Arrest warrants, signed by Investigator Robbie McGee, said he attempted to commit sexual battery on the girl and improperly touched her.

Chief Sam White said Wednesday that authorities were concerned Hinson might have left town and information about him was entered into the National Crime Information Computer

A relative of the child who was molested, Monica Marie Dunn, 17, of 281 Belue Road, Jonesville, was charged Wednesday with accessory before the fact of a lewd act upon a child and accessory before the fact of an assault to commit criminal sexual conduct. Her warrants said she approved of and allowed the child to take a shower with Hinson on April 20.

An investigation into the case began on April 28 when Officer Mike Gregory and Officer Curtis Eubanks were called to Foxfire Apartments to handle a disturbance.

Ms. Dunn told officers she wanted to get her personal belongings out of the apartment. Before she could be escorted in, she told the officers she wanted to press charges against Hinson because he had molested the child.

White thanked Union County Victim Advocate Michelle Shugart for arranging to have the child interviewed at the Children's Advocacy Center in Spartanburg.

Larceny charge

Pierre D. Johnson, 25, of 310 Lockhart Highway, was charged Thursday by the Union Public Safety Department with grand larceny.

Shortly after 3 p.m., Cpl. Scott Farr was called to 336 Meansville Road in reference to the theft of items from a yard. Farr was advised that the suspect - later identified as Johnson - had left the residence in a white Ford Thunderbird headed west on Meansville Road.

The victim said he came home and found Johnson had loaded a trailer with various metal items from his yard. He said he confronted Johnson and told him he was calling for law enforcement, but Johnson drove off.

Another witness, a Union wrecker service operator, said a man had contacted him and asked him to tow a Ford Mustang from the residence to a scrap yard in Spartanburg.

The wrecker operator said he saw Johnson pulling out of the driveway and tried to stop him, but Johnson drove around him and went into the roadway.

The wrecker operator said he heard a noise, drove back and found Johnson throwing items from a trailer He called for Farr and as Farr approached, Johnson drove away.

Farr stopped Johnson on the other side of the house.

Johnson told Farr he planned to sell the scrap metal items; he didn't know anyone lived at the house.

Items recovered included a Craftsman chipper/shredder, a scrape blade and a fireplace grate. The victim said the 1970 Ford Mustang was worth $1,800.

A shotgun was seized from Johnson's vehicle for identification purposes.