MB teen charged after police say he raped, taunted victim with guns

A Myrtle Beach teen is behind bars after police say he raped a girl, and later, with the help of three others, used guns to taunt her.

Horry County police arrested 17-year-old Joshua Hughes Tuesday evening in connection with the incident.

On June 8, an officer spoke with the 16-year-old female victim at a local hospital.

On the night of June 6, Hughes picked her up from her Murrells Inlet home following their conversation on Snapchat, according to an incident report.

She said Hughes was accompanied by two other teen males — whose identities are redacted in the report — who were riding in a separate vehicle.

Hughes then drove the victim to his Myrtle Beach area home, police said.

When they arrived at the house, they went upstairs to his room and Hughes "began to kiss the victim," the report states.

"The victim advised that she expressed to [Hughes] that the contact was unwanted, however [Hughes] proceeded," an officer wrote in the report. "... upon removal of her clothes he began to physically penetrate her with his private parts against her own will."

Shortly after the rape, the two other males, along with a fourth suspect, began to bang on the door, yelling for Hughes to let them in "so they could have a turn," the report says.

Once they were allowed in, the second suspect also allegedly acted against the victim's will, but the incident report redacted the possible assault.

Shortly after, the victim said she was able to escape and went inside the garage.

While she was inside the garage, she said all four males pointed guns at her and began to "taunt" her about the incident until she was able to contact a friend and leave the home, according to the report.

Police charged Hughes with third-degree criminal sexual conduct, pointing and presenting firearms at a person and possession of marijuana, online records show.

Capt. John Harrelson with Horry County Police told The Sun News on Thursday that Hughes is the only one arrested in connection with the incident, but it remains under investigation.

Michaela Broyles: 843-626-0281, @MichaelaBroyles

This story was originally published June 14, 2018 at 5:32 PM with the headline "MB teen charged after police say he raped, taunted victim with guns."