A former South Carolina solicitor stands accused of sexually molesting boy scouts some 35 years ago.
The accused in this case, former 4th Circuit Solicitor Jay Hodge, is not a stranger to the men who say he molested them 35 years ago. In fact, all have had a close personal and professional relationships over the years.
But court records show an FBI investigation into a charity in Cheraw set into motion a series of events that now include a child molestation lawsuit.
The 26-page complaint states Hodge molested the boys at several different locations: one act happened inside the First Presbyterian Church in Cheraw, another at a camp in Santee, and others at Hodge's Cheraw home.
Hodge was a scout leader when the accusers were eight and nine years old. These days, the men are nearly 50 years old.
"It was quite a shock for them to come forward with these types of allegations against somebody who has been very highly regarded in the community. Not just in Chesterfield County, but throughout the 4th circuit, said the plaintiffs' attorney Jason Turnblad.
Turnblad says one of the men met with a psychologist in February after dealing with bouts of depression.
For 35 years, the man had forgotten all about the abuse he now says he suffered from Hodge. But, during the counseling, Turnblad says his client suddenly remembered, everything.
"They start going to this counseling and figure out, hey, something did happen to me. I've pushed this back in a closet because not only do I not want anybody else to know. I didn't want to know about it," Turnblad explained.
Hodge declined an on camera interview to tell his side of the story but released a statement, saying the accusations were quote: "lies" and that once the public finds out who the accusers are the public will know the motive.
The accusers' identities are in clear view right inside the complaint their attorneys filed last week. A redacted mental evaluation clearly shows Kenny Michael and his brother, Rodney's names.
Whoever redacted the document, didn't cover them up.
The Michaels work at a Cheraw real estate office. Both were very close to Hodge. Hodge even hired one brother to work inside the solicitor's office and the other brother was Hodge's business partner in a property management company. Three years ago, Hodge retired as solicitor, and the FBI opened an investigation into Hodge's Mercy Ministries charity.
The charity was based out of Hodge's law office and he was accused of stealing more than $400,000 from it. The FBI cleared Hodge last year.
When Rodney Michael was still working at the solicitor's office, he wrote in a 2011 letter that he was cooperating with the FBI investigation into Hodge and felt that Hodge was retaliating against him for that.
Over the next three months, Rodney Michael would send multiple complaint letters against Hodge. One of those ended up at the commission on lawyer conduct, an agency that can end a lawyer's career.
Then, four months ago, the charity sued Kenny and accused him of taking part in stealing more than $214,000 from the Mercy Ministries charity.
Now, Kenny and Rodney Michael filed their own lawsuit, accusing Hodge of molesting them nearly 35 years ago.
The Michael's attorney admits some people may question the relationship the brothers shared with Hodge through the years, and discount the molestation allegations.
"Some people who are looking from the outside-in would say that, but I think that you would see that at some point in time," Turnblad said. "Particularly when you read some of the writings by some of these experts, that actually is kind of the way things happen. There is a secret between these people -- maybe neither of them want coming out and that's kind of why sometimes you have these relationships between people, even though something traumatic may have occurred."
The new solicitor sent the allegations against Hodge to Attorney General Alan Wilson's office weeks ago. The State Law Enforcement Division says they are meeting with Wilson to determine whether they will open a criminal investigation into this case.
For now, that decision has not been made and the lawsuit is making its way through the system.
Copyright 2012 WIS. All rights reserved.
Former 4th Circuit Solicitor Jay Hodge
