Harvey Cox, 60, will
spend the next 20 years in prison for faking his death to avoid a
Criminal Sexual Conduct charge and causing a rescue mission that lasted
several days and involved a number of agencies, as well as possessing
child pornography.
A Florence man who was being investigated for a sexual assault on a minor in 2011 was sentenced Thursday for staging his death that included leaving his car at a Murrells Inlet boat landing, said U.S. Attorney William Nettles.
Harvey Cox, 60, was sentenced to serve 20 years imprisonment for staging his death and intentionally causing the U.S. Coast Guard to conduct a search and rescue mission when no help was needed and for possessing child pornography.
He also must pay the Coast Guard $51,094.25 to cover the cost of the fraudulent search and rescue operation.
The charges stem from Jan. 2011 when state authorities were investigating Cox as a suspect in an alleged sexual assault on a minor. Florence and Marlboro county authorities had scheduled a meeting with Cox for Jan. 19, 2011.
Instead, on Jan. 17, 2011, Cox sent his fishing boat adrift with his wallet and car keys and left his car at the boat landing in Murrells Inlet before taking a cab home to Florence. He left the state in another car.
Fishermen found the boat the next day signaling a distress call that launched a search involving marine sweeps with boats and helicopters that lasted for 10 hours before it was called off.
Authorities discovered continued activity of Cox’s phone and learned about the cab ride. He was arrested in Florida in March.
During the investigation, police found sexually explicit photographs of a minor at Cox’s home.
Source: http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com
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