Manning man charged with three counts of CSC

Posted
A Manning man posed a $40,000 bond Wednesday night at the Clarendon County Detention Center on three counts of criminal sexual conduct with a minor. Michael Dinkins of 1172 Locust Way in Manning turned himself into deputies with the Clarendon County Sheriff's Office about 6 a.m. Wednesday, according to Manning attorney Steve McKenzie. "This is completely not in his character," McKenzie said. "He is a U.S. Army veteran who worked at EMS and then worked his way through nursing school. We feel very strongly he is innocent and that the evidence in the end will vindicate him." According to reports from the Clarendon County Sheriff's Office, a woman identified as Dinkins' wife in reports said that a minor child reported Dinkins "kissed her on the back of her neck," about eight months ago, and then texted the child Dec. 26, 2015, with a message saying, "LUKUAMU," which deputies reported means "Love You, Kiss You, Already Miss You!" The woman told deputies that the child reported on New Year's night alleged that Dinkins "touched (her) hand to see if (she) was asleep, kissed (her) on the mouth and tried to open (her) lips with his tongue." Dinkins denied the allegations at the initial time of the report, which was taken Jan. 8, according to paperwork from the Clarendon County Sheriff's Office. Deputies report that the child had an appointment with a psychiatrist in Sumter the day before the official reports, and McKenzie said she had an appointment with a forensic psychiatrist in Florence after the report was made. McKenzie said that Dinkins and his wife separated Dec. 31, 2015, and that these allegations followed thereafter. "There is no physical evidence that I know of, and it's a minor child's word against his," McKenzie said. "He has no prior criminal history, other than traffic violations, like we all do. It is very early in the case, and we haven't seen all the evidence the state has. We've filed all the proper discovery paperwork, and I'm confident that he will be vindicated." McKenzie said that his client's military history and lack of criminal record was a factor in his release on bond Wednesday. "He also was not a danger," McKenzie said. "This is something that is just totally not in his character. I've known Michael for years, and I truly believe that the facts will show he is innocent."