Sexual exploitation charges

A Leesville man has been arrested for soliciting sex from a minor, the state Attorney General’s Office announced Monday.

South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson announced the arrest of Brandon Scott Moore, 31, of Leesville on 1 charge connected to the sexual exploitation of a minor.

Moore was arrested Dec. 23. He is charged with 1 count of criminal solicitation of a minor, a felony offense punishable by up to 10 years imprisonment.

According to the Lexington County Detention Center’s website, Moore is also charged with resisting arrest with a deadly weapon.

Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force investigators with the Lexington County Sheriff’s Office made the arrest. Investigators with the United States Marshals Service and South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED), both also members of the state’s ICAC Task Force, assisted with this investigation.

Home destroyed in Irmo fire

Investigators are trying to determine the cause of a house fire that happened in Irmo on Sunday night in the New Friarsgate subdivision, according to the Irmo Fire District.

Officials said no one inside the home was injured. The family has been displaced due to the fire and is currently living with family members in the area.

Members of the Columbia Fire Department and Lexington County Fire Services assisted to put out the fire.

Lost property

Chronicle readers Alysia and Tim Kehoe are offer ing a $50 reward for the return of a lost antique brown leather photo album about 8” X 11” in a plastic bag with zipper lock with the name Barry 2018.

It was lost Monday, Dec 21, in the Cedar Crest and Freedom Road area of Lexington. Contact Alysia or Tim Kehoe at timkehoebuilds@gmail.com or Alysia@kehoeconsultants.com

Our covid recoveries improving

The latest covid data shows SC is doing better than the rest of the world.

Chronicle reader and author Jay Schabacker has compiled these numbers.

They show, among other data, that SC’s increase in deaths last week was only 3.5%.

That compares with a 4.5% increase in the world and 5.4% in the US.

More aggressive testing is resulting in early detection and better chances of recovery.

US 321 crash victim identified

Lexington County Coroner Margaret Fisher has identified the man who died in a collision.

The accident occurred about 1:45 pm Dec. 23 in the 3400 block of US 321 (Charleston Highway) south of West Columbia.

Foster H. Yarborough Jr., 73, of Columbia was driving northbound near the State Farmer’s Market when an oncoming vehicle lost control, crossed the median and the 2 collided head-on.

Yarborough was wearing a seat belt when the collision occurred.

He was pronounced dead at the scene due to multiple traumatic injuries.

The incident remains under investigation by the SC Highway Patrol.

The identity of the other driver and any passengers was not reported.