The South Carolina Department of Parole, Probation and Pardon Services reached a settlement with five Aiken County women who were allegedly sexually assaulted by their parole officer.
Tyler Bailey, a Columbia attorney who represented the women, announced the settlement Wednesday afternoon.
The women collectively settled their claims for $355,000, according to a news release.
The women alleged they were repeatedly sexually assaulted by George W. Yeldell from 2017-2019 while he worked as a parole officer for the department.
"Yeldell used the resources and abused the power and authority of his office to sexually abuse, harass, assault, inappropriately touch and rape female offenders he supervised, including his five clients in breach of his duties, accountability to the public and without the consent of the female offenders he was charged with supervising," Bailey said.
South Carolina Law Enforcement Division officers arrested Yeldell on May 5, 2020, and charged him with misconduct in office.
Misconduct in office is a misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in prison and a fine of up to $1,000.
Yeldell remains out on bond, according to South Carolina Department of Justice records.
A news release adds the women are now "demanding answers regarding the slow pace of the prosecution of Yeldell."
