By Mike McCombs
The Beaufort Police Department (BPD) announced Wednesday afternoon, Oct. 19, via email that Operation Rock the Boat has led to another arrest, this time a Beaufort County School District administrator.
Beaufort’s Daniel Fallon, 41, was charged with three counts of Criminal Solicitation of a Minor.
The arrest occurred as part of a continuation of the March undercover operation conducted by the BPD, the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office, and the South Carolina Attorney General’s Internet Crimes Against Children task force. The investigation has also involved the cooperation of a number of other local, state and federal agencies.
The operation has resulted in the arrest of more than a dozen adults attempting to have sex with children.
According to the release, BPD investigators identified Fallon as a subject communicating with undercover officers during their operation. Fallon allegedly sent sexually explicit messages on a social media platform to individuals he believed to be minors, resulting in the execution of search warrants on his social media accounts.
On Tuesday, the BPD obtained three arrest warrants that were served Wednesday. They also served warrants on his vehicle and home.
According to his profile on the internet, Fallon has worked nearly two decades for the Beaufort County School District (BCSD). His current position is Director of Accountability, and he works in the district’s Data Services and Testing department. At some time Wednesday afternoon, his profile was removed from the BCSD website.
“Fallon is currently on administrative leave. He has worked for the district for 19 years. As the Director of Accountability/Data Services, his office is at the district headquarters, not at a school building,” BCSD Director of Communications Candace Bruder said in an email to The Island News. “His role does not require him to interact with children. We continue to collaborate with our law enforcement partners and trust the process of the judicial system in handling this matter.”
The charge of Criminal Solicitation of a Minor is a felony, punishable by up to 10 years in prison for each count. This case will be prosecuted by the Attorney General’s Office.
Mike McCombs is the Editor of The Island News and can be reached at TheIslandNews@gmail.com.
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