13-time sex offender living in Myrtle Beach now accused of child rape in Conway, cops say
A man convicted of 13 previous sex crimes is now being accused of child rape in Conway.
Myrtle Beach Police arrested Jonathan Runyon this week on charges of first-degree criminal sexual conduct with a minor and two counts of indecent exposure. Runyon most recently lived in Myrtle Beach, according to an address listed on his South Carolina Sex Offender Registry. He lists a Conway work address.
Runyon, 37, was booked into J. Reuben Long Detention Center on Tuesday and is being held without bond.
In May of 2019, Runyon exposed himself to a 9-year-old girl, according to arrest warrants. He removed his clothing and sat on a couch. He then put the child on his lap and forced her to move back and forth.
Dating back to 2008, Runyon has 13 convictions in North Carolina related to sexual activities with minors and indecent exposure. He is a tier III sex offender, meaning he has to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.
According to the South Carolina sex offender registry, Runyon had only committed sexual crimes in North Carolina.
In 2007, Runyon exposed himself to a group of four children in Brunswick County, North Carolina. Later that year, he exposed himself to eight children in New Hanover, North Carolina. His victims were aged 10 to 12 years old.
After that he has no reported charges until 2014 in South Carolina because he failed to register with the state, which is required every three months for tier III sex offenders.
Runyon had been arrested in Myrtle Beach before, both for minor drug charges in 2017 and 2018, according to court records.
Criminal sexual conduct with a minor can be punished by up to life in prison.
