Upstate man receives state’s first life sentence for human trafficking under new law

A Lancaster man is the first person in South Carolina to be convicted of human trafficking under new state laws, the state Attorney General's Office said.

David Hayden, a registered sex offender, was sentenced to life in prison Friday for trafficking a 15-year-old runaway in Upstate South Carolina.

It's the first conviction for human trafficking following a state court jury trial since South Carolina passed a new human trafficking law in 2012, according to a statement released by the Attorney General's Office. The 15-year-old victim was “picked up” by Hayden after running away from home, according to the statement.

Hayden, 53, was convicted Thursday of human trafficking, first degree criminal sexual conduct with a minor and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. He was sentenced Friday by Circuit Court Judge Paul Burch. His sentence does not carry the possibility of parole.

“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.”

South Carolina's human trafficking law was first passed in 2012 and later amended in 2018, according to the statement.

Wilson commended assistant attorney generals Heather Weiss and Jerrod Fussnecker for their work on the case. He also thanked victim advocates, the Lancaster County Sheriff's Office, South Carolina Law Enforcement Division and Homeland Security Investigations for their assistance in the case.

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