Bond set for former Horry police officers indicted by grand jury

Bond was set Tuesday for four former Horry County police officers who were indicted by a grand jury last month, based on the findings of an investigation by the S.C. Law Enforcement Division.

Circuit Court Judge Roger Couch set a surety bond of $85,000 for former Detective Allen Large, who pleaded not guilty and confined Large to his home, except for medical care or to attend church.

In addition to the five charges of third-degree criminal sexual conduct, Large is also the target of four lawsuits against the police department for allegedly sexually harassing four women and assaulting two others.

Daryl Williams was indicted on nine counts of misconduct in office, and his bond was set at $35,000 surety bond. He pleaded not guilty.

Todd Cox, who entered a not guilty plea, faces 16 counts of misconduct in office and his bond was set at $35,000. Bond for Luke Green, who also pleaded not guilty, was also set at $35,000 on three counts of misconduct in office. Both Cox’s and Green’s bond were personal recognizance.

The bond amounts are determined on the flight risk posed by the former officers and whether they pose any danger to the community.

The former police officers were later transported to the J. Reuben Long Detention Center to post bond. Williams, Cox and Green were quickly processed and released by Tuesday afternoon, declining comment as they left the jail.

Because of his home confinement order, Large remained at the jail until late Tuesday night. The process requires that all victims be notified and interviewed, and zones established where Large is prohibited from entering, including the victims’ homes and workplaces. If Large enters one of those zones, the GPS triggers an alarm that notifies law enforcement officials.

In the courtroom, Large, 54, sat with his arm around his wife and smiled at reporters.

His lawyer, Russell Long, said that Large was a local, who graduated from Socastee High School in 1981, and was not a flight risk.

Large was notified by the S.C. Law Enforcement Division after SLED’s investigation began in 2015 that he was a target, and he has cooperated with that investigation, Long said.

“He is excited about coming to court to defend himself,” Long said. “He is the opposite of a flight risk.”

A lawyer representing the Jane Does asked for the highest bond possible and said that Large is still stalking one of the victims.

“He is a danger to the community as a whole,” said lawyer Amy Lawrence. “He is a wolf in sheep’s clothing.”

“Detective Large used his badge, his gun and his authority of being a veteran officer of the Horry County Police Department to prey on the most broken, abused and helpless in our community,” Lawrence said. “They were victimized by the very man sent to help them.”

Although the civil lawsuits were filed by four women, he sexually assaulted five women, said Kinli Abee, the assistant state attorney general who is prosecuting the case.

In setting the surety bond for Williams, the judge said he was concerned that the former officer now lives in Georgia and drives a truck for a living. Williams’ lawyer said he now lives in Georgia because he is taking care of his 59-year-old mother.

Cox’s lawyer, Morgan Martin, said the former investigator was a lifetime resident and did not pose a flight risk.

“He’s known this day was coming for quite a time now,” Martin said.

Cox is now medically disabled after undergoing spine surgery, and does not travel except to Charleston for doctor appointments, Martin said.

“This is an unfortunate event. It will be well understood he is not a criminal” once the jury trial begins, Martin said.

Green’s lawyer said his client was not a flight risk, that he was born and raised in this area and has family here, including his wife, to whom he’s been married for 21 years.

“He’s eager to fight these charges. This man was shocked by the allegations. He stands ready to fight the allegations,” said Green’s attorney, Brad Richardson.

This story was originally published October 4, 2016 at 2:40 PM with the headline "Bond set for former Horry police officers indicted by grand jury."