Former South Carolina Trooper Arrested For Biting Toddler

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A 23-year-old Cottageville, South Carolina man who allegedly bit a toddler has been charged with cruelty to children following an investigation by the S.C. State Law Enforcement Division (SLED).

Why is SLED investigating?

Because Jesse Phillip Brassell was employed by the S.C. Department of Public Safety (SCDPS) at the time of the alleged incident.

The Colleton County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) requested SLED’s investigation following an incident that occurred on September 20, 2023. Brassell admitted to intentionally biting the two-year-old victim. According to a probable cause affidavit accompanying a warrant for his arrest, the bite mark was observed on the child’s cheek.  

(Click to view)

Brassell was immediately suspended following the incident being reported and resigned last week. His term of employment with SCDPS was just over two years. Additionally, Brassell’s social media profiles identify him as an infantryman with the S.C. National Guard (SCNG).

Brassell was booked at the Colleton County Detention Center on the morning of December 19, 2023 and bonded out early in the afternoon. The case against him will be prosecuted by the Public Integrity Unit of the S.C. fourteenth solicitor’s office.  That unit investigates officer involved shootings, public corruption and excessive force cases.

As with anyone accused of committing any crime, Brassell is considered innocent until proven guilty by our criminal justice system – or until such time as he may wish to enter some form of allocution in connection with a plea agreement with prosecutors related to any of the charges that may be filed against him.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR…

Callie Lyons is a relentless investigative journalist, researcher, and author known for exposing hard truths with heart and precision. As a journalist for FITSNews, she dives into high-profile and murky cases—like that of Mica Francis Miller— with fearless resolve and a sharp eye for detail, whether it’s tracking white-collar crime, uncovering religious abuse, or examining the often-bizarre behavior of those who believe they’re above the law.

Callie made waves with her groundbreaking 2007 book Stain-Resistant, Nonstick, Waterproof and Lethal, the first to reveal the dangers of forever chemicals, a story that helped inspire the film Dark Waters and influenced global scientific dialogue. Her work has appeared in numerous documentaries, including Toxic Soup, National Geographic’s Parched: Toxic Waters, and more recently Citizen Sleuth, which examines the complexities of true crime podcasting.

Whether she’s navigating environmental disasters or the darker corners of society, Lyons operates with one guiding belief: “Truth never damages a cause that is just.”

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