Oconee County Sheriff’s Office Arrests Salem Man on Two Counts of Criminal Sexual Conduct with a Minor

The Oconee County Sheriff’s Office arrested a Salem man yesterday on two counts of Criminal Sexual Conduct with a Minor.

19 year old Austin Tyler Hendricks was booked into the Oconee County Detention Center around 5:30 pm on a Temporary Custody Order until arrest warrants were obtained today charging Hendricks with one count each of Criminal Sexual Conduct with a Minor – 1st Degree and Criminal Sexual Conduct with a Minor – 2nd Degree.

A deputy from the Uniform Patrol Division was notified on February 1st of this year by a mandated reporter of a reported sexual assault of a minor female that occurred in July of last year. The deputy began an investigation and gathered evidence. The case was turned over to the Child/Elder investigator from the Criminal Investigations Division.

As the investigation continued and evidence was gathered in the case, it was determined that Hendricks has sexually assaulted not one but two minor females in separate incidents in 2019. According to arrest warrants, the assault on the second minor female occurred sometime between the beginning of March and the end of April of 2019.

The victims (one between ages of 11 & 14, the other under the age of 11, according to the warrants) are in a safe location and have not had any contact with Hendricks since the incidents were reported.

The Oconee County Sheriff’s Office is continuing its investigation. At this time, Hendricks remains in custody at the Oconee County Detention Center pending bond.

Submitted by Master Deputy Jimmy Watt