Steven E. Mays, Jr., age 41, has pled guilty in Lexington County to Criminal Sexual Conduct with a Minor – 2nd degree. Mays was sentenced to 13 years incarceration by Circuit Court Judge D. Craig Brown. This crime is classified under South Carolina law as a “no parole” offense.

This case was prosecuted by Eleventh Circuit Senior Assistant Solicitor Rhonda Patterson and Assistant Solicitor La’Jessica Stringfellow.  Senior Assistant Solicitor Patterson stated, "We continue to prioritize cases involving crimes against children and maintain our efforts to keep the community safe.”

The trial was scheduled to begin in Lexington County this week. However, Mays chose to plead guilty as charged instead of going forward with a jury trial. The minor victim, who was fifteen years old at the time of the assault, was present at the Lexington County Judicial Center for sentencing. She addressed the court and submitted a victim impact letter which detailed the aftermath of the assault and the emotional trauma that she endured.

In August of 2015, Mays sexually assaulted the minor victim at his residence, located at 1515 Busbee Road, Lot 15, in the Gaston area of Lexington County. Following the assault, DNA evidence was obtained which corroborated the victim’s report. The Lexington County Sheriff’s Department conducted the investigation and forensic evidence in the case was analyzed by the S.C. Law Enforcement Division (SLED).

Mays is being transported to the S.C. Department of Corrections to begin service of his sentence immediately.