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The former deputy fire chief of a Lowcountry, South Carolina fire department was stripped of his rank after being charged with a child sex crime earlier this week, according to his department.
Citing jail records, Darran Wayne Vaughn, 60, was arrested by deputies of the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) shortly after 4:00 p.m. EST on Tuesday, March 18, 2025.
“As [BCSO] was making contact with Mr. Vaughn, we learned of the situation,” said Russell Wells, chief of Jasper County Fire-Rescue (JCFR). “Upon our immediate notification… we took swift, immediate, decisive action.”
Wells told FITSNews his deputy fire chief was terminated after three years with the department.
While details surrounding Vaughn’s arrest remain limited, judicial records show he’s charged with second-degree criminal sexual conduct with a minor — or an attempt to perpetrate such conduct — targeting a child between 11 and 14 years old.
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Despite the severity of this charge, Vaughn appears to have walked free after Beaufort County Magistrate Robert E. Ferguson Jr. set a personal recognizance bond of $50,000 on Wednesday, March 19, 2025.
Per open-source intelligence, Vaughn began his career in fire and emergency medical services (EMS) as a teenager before enlisting in the U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) in Kentucky. In a 2010 submission to Firefighter Nation, he reflected as follows:
“I continued my emergency services career as an Aircraft Rescue firefighter… Now in South Carolina, [I’ve] traveled the world in both peacetime and war. I enjoy sports and outdoor activities especially football, rugby, camping, fishing, and beaches.”
Booking records listed Vaughn at 5’10” and weighing approximately 300 pounds.
BCSO was not immediately available for comment.
This story may be updated.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR…
(Dynal Nolan/FITSNews)
Andrew Fancher is a Lone Star Emmy award-winning journalist from Dallas, Texas. Cut from a bloodline of outlaws and lawmen alike, he was the first of his family to graduate college which was accomplished with honors. Got a story idea or news tip for Andy? Email him directly and connect with him socially across Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
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1 comment
He reminds me of the guy who approached me in the men’s room at the bus station one time. The guy said he was a fireman and if I’d go in a stall with him he would show me his fire hose and let me play with the nozzle. Something must have been wrong with it cause only a little water came out and then something that looked like milk.