SOUTH CAROLINA — A Westminster man remains in custody after authorities located him early Wednesday morning with a teenager who had been reported missing, according to the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office.
The investigation began Tuesday when a family member alerted a school resource officer that a student had not been seen since Monday, Dec. 8. The case was transferred to the Sheriff’s Office Missing Persons Unit, and the teen’s information was entered into the National Crime Information Center database.
Investigators gathered evidence indicating the teen had been in a relationship with 26-year-old Jacob Miles Emersonand that the two might have left the state together. Before 2 a.m. Wednesday, deputies found both Emerson and the minor in Clemson. The teen was safely returned home, while Emerson was taken into custody.
According to investigators, evidence suggests Emerson prevented the minor from attending school and persuaded them to leave their home and the state without parental permission. The Sheriff’s Office said no identifying information about the minor will be released.
Emerson is charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor and was also served a second-degree burglary warrant from the Walhalla Police Department. He is being held at the Oconee County Detention Center on a $30,000 bond as the investigation continues.
