Executive Director of Miss South Carolina Pageant Arrested on Sexual Assault Charges
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Miss SC Director Arrested
Miss SC Director Arrested
Joseph Sanders, charged with Criminal Sexual Conduct with a Minor. Anita Gearhart, charged with Unlawful Conduct Toward a Child
The Executive Director of the Miss South Carolina organization, Joseph “Joey” Pettigrew Sanders IV, has been arrested in Easley for sexually assaulting a girl younger than 11 years old. Easley Police also arrested Anita Jordan Gearhart in connection with the case. Gearhart is charged with unlawful conduct towards a child.
According to the arrest warrants, the assault occurred at a Comfort Inn, back in January 1, 2005.
Both Sanders and Gearhart have been released after bond hearings early this morning.
William Coates, attorney for Sanders, told the Associated Press that his clinet will be exonerated. Sanders’ name was removed from the Miss South Carolina website this afternoon.
This year’s pageant just wrapped up on July 5. It was held, as it has been for many years, at Spartanburg Memorial Auditorium.
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Reader Reactions
people really need to hear all sides of the story.. why did it take this girl three years to decide to say something? she has been put in dss custody from what i heard. why did she all the sudden decide to make these allegations against this man. and the girls mother has now got her child taken for allegations that i believe to be false.. he has been dealing with the pageant for years dealing with little girls and this is the first time any thing like this has came about. lets hear his side of the story and let the judge decide if he is guilty or not.
Sick, sick people. A child is not safe anymore.
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