South Carolina man sentenced to life for human trafficking conviction

A South Carolina man will spend the rest of his life in prison for human sex trafficking in a historic case, according to the state's attorney general's office.

Attorney General Alan Wilson said in a release that the conviction of David Hayden, 53, of Lancaster, on Thursday was the first of its kind in the state since South Carolina passed its human trafficking law in 2012.

The law added amendments in 2018, Wilson said.

Judge Paul Burch sentenced Hayden in Lancaster County court to life in prison without the possibility of parole after he was convicted of human trafficking, criminal sexual conduct with a minor first degree, and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

The case started with a 15-year-old girl who ran away from a group home in Lancaster County in March 2020.

Wilson said the runaway was picked up by Hayden, a registered sex offender, and later became a victim of sex trafficking.

The Lancaster County Sheriff's Office posted on Facebook about the case and Hayden's arrest, along with his two brothers, on June 6, 2020.

Senior Assistant Deputy Attorney General Heather Weiss and Assistant Attorney General Jerrod Fussnecker prosecuted the case.

“Today, justice was served and I hope it sends a strong message to perpetrators of child sex trafficking in South Carolina,” said Attorney General Alan Wilson. “The prosecutors in my office will not hesitate to ensure these predators are held accountable, the victims' stories are heard, and our communities are safer.”