Cop Fired For Sexually Victimizing Arrestee

Extorted favors in return for "help" with charges

A former Richland County deputy is out of a job and in trouble with the law after allegedly forcing a woman to expose herself and touch herself inappropriately in exchange for help with criminal charges.

Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott said Tracy Stephens, 31, was terminated and arrested Thursday, eight days after a woman he took into custody during a traffic stop filed a complaint against the deputy.

According to Lott, the incident happened on May 15. A spokesperson for the department says Stephens conducted a traffic stop on the unidentified woman around 2:30 a.m.