By Mike McCombs
The Island News
Beaufort’s David Johnathon Shytle Jr., 47, a Probation Officer with the South Carolina Department of Probation, Parole and Pardons and a former City of Beaufort police officer, was arrested last week by the S.C. State Law Enforcement Division (SLED) and charged with two counts of Assault & Battery — 2nd Degree and five counts of Misconduct in Office – charges that include the defendant allegedly touching and licking the private parts of the victim.
The warrants were obtained Monday, Aug. 25, and served Thursday, Aug. 28.
One warrant for assault & battery — 2nd degree says Shytle, as a probation officer for the S.C. Department of Probation, Parole and Pardons, allegedly on March 14, 2025 “did willfully, unlawfully and maliciously grab the victim’s …, place his mouth on the …, and lick the …, causing nonconsensual touching of the victim’s private parts.”
The second warrant for assault & battery — 2nd degree said that Shytle, on, about and between Nov. 13, 2024 and March 7, 2025, as a probation officer for the S.C. Department of Probation, Parole and Pardons, allegedly “did willfully, unlawfully and maliciously grab the victim’s … and …, causing nonconsensual touching of the victim’s private parts.”
Two of the misconduct in office warrants involved the same incidents. The first said that on, about and between March 14, 2025 and April 4, 2025, as a probation officer for the S.C. Department of Probation, Parole and Pardons, the defendant allegedly “did willfully, unlawfully and maliciously engage in an inappropriate relationship with [the victim], a parolee under his supervision, while acting in his official capacity as a probation officer. The defendant sent [the victim] inappropriate text messages and images via cell phone. The defendant did willfully, unlawfully and maliciously grab the victim’s …, place his mouth on the …, and lick the …, causing nonconsensual touching of the victim’s private parts. The defendant did commit these acts … in breach of his duty of good faith and accountability of the public.
The second was similar to the second assault & battery warrant. On, about and between Nov. 13, 2024 and March 7, 2025, as a probation officer for the S.C. Department of Probation, Parole and Pardons, the defendant allegedly “did willfully, unlawfully and maliciously engage in an inappropriate relationship with [the victim], a parolee under his supervision, while acting in his official capacity as a probation officer. The defendant sent [the victim] inappropriate text messages and images via cell phone. The defendant did willfully, unlawfully and maliciously grab the victim’s …, place his mouth on the …, and lick the …, causing nonconsensual touching of the victim’s private parts. The defendant did commit these acts … in breach of his duty of good faith and accountability of the public.”
The last three misconduct in office warrants were all worded the same, but for three different dates — August 23, 2024; January 1, 2025; and February 14, 2025
Allegedly, “the defendant did willfully, unlawfully and maliciously engage in an inappropriate relationship with [the victim], a parolee under his supervision, while acting in his official capacity as a probation officer. The defendant sent [the victim] inappropriate text messages and images via cell phone. The defendant did commit these acts … in breach of his duty of good faith and accountability of the public.”
Shytle was booked into the Beaufort County Detention Center on Thursday morning and released at 11 a.m., on a $45,000 personal recognizance bond.
The case will be prosecuted by the 14th Circuit Solicitor’s Office.
Mike McCombs is the Editor of The Island News and can be reached at TheIslandNews@gmail.com.
