Authorities in Charleston, South Carolina, have arrested and charged a former North Carolina state trooper for allegedly trafficking and assaulting a 15-year-old girl he met through Snapchat, a popular social media app.
David William Hollars, 55, of Palm Cove Drive in Charleston, is facing six charges of trafficking in persons under 18, criminal solicitation of a minor, two counts of first-degree sexual exploitation of a minor and second-degree criminal sexual conduct with a minor, according to the Charleston County Sheriff's Office (CCSO)
"This is an incredibly disturbing case," Charleston County Sheriff Kristin Graziano said in a Wednesday statement. "Our investigation is ongoing, as we continue to follow leads and information in the case."
Graziano added that authorities have made themselves available to the victim and her family "as she begins her recovery from this trauma."
"No child should ever go through this," the sheriff said.
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The victim's parents reported the crimes to CCSO in late March, and investigators later determined that the girl, 14 years old at the time, met Hollars on Snapchat, a messaging and photo-sharing app that allows messages to disappear after they are received.
Detectives found evidence of sexually explicit messages, and the victim described multiple instances of Hollars offering her money in exchange for sexual contact in person, according to CCSO.
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The suspect listed jobs with the North Carolina Highway Patrol and U.S. Navy on his Facebook page. His current job is listed as a claims adjuster.
Authorities are asking anyone with information about the case or similar cases to call CCSO at 843-202-1700 or after hours at 843-743-7200.
The National Human Trafficking Hotline provides recourses for victims of human trafficking at 1-888-373-7888 or https://humantraffickinghotline.org.
