William Bruce Parker, 67, of West Columbia, was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison yesterday after pleading guilty to cyberstalking resulting in serious bodily injury and communicating threats with the intent to extort victims for the production of pornography and coerced sex acts.

Evidence presented to the court showed that Parker, a former Chief of Police of the Town of Pine Ridge and a retired 35-year veteran of law enforcement in South Carolina, was a state constable at the time of the offenses. Parked admitted to sending a series of threatening emails, texts, and voice messages in 2021 and 2022 from spoofed accounts and phone numbers to numerous female victims. Evidence presented at sentencing indicated there were six victims, many of whom were related by blood or marriage.  His messages demanded his victims produce and send pornography of themselves or he would harm the victims and their families, including physical and sexual violence directed at his victims and their spouses, children, and grandchildren, if they did not comply with his demands.  In his threats, he identified the victims’ homes, churches, workplaces, schools, and communities, specific family members and their children, and threatened harm if his victims went to the police or male family members. Parker also threatened sexual violence against his victim’s toddler-aged children and grandchildren.

After receiving the demands, victims reached out to Parker for advice and help given their relationship with him and his position in his law enforcement. Parker lied to the victims by telling them he was coordinating an investigation by the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED).  SLED confirmed in truth Parker never contacted SLED. Parker directed the victims to comply with the extortionists’ demands to assist SLED in the investigation. Once Parker had the coerced pornography, he then threatened to leak these images to obtain more. His threats culminated with demands that the victims engage in sex acts with Parker, record the conduct, and send to the extortionists. As a result of these threats, Parker obtained coerced sex.  

Senior United States District Judge Cameron McGowan Currie sentenced Parker to 15 years imprisonment to be followed by a three-year term of supervised release. At sentencing, Judge Currie stated that the conduct in this case was “as depraved as anything I’ve seen in my 30 years as a federal district judge.”  Parker is also required to pay $10,000 in restitution to the victims.

The case was investigated by the FBI Columbia Field Office and Lexington County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elliott B. Daniels and Elle E. Klein are prosecuting the case.