Kershaw County fired its jail director but reported he resigned. Richland hired him

The new head of Richland County’s jail was fired from his previous job at the Kershaw County Detention Center for “sexual misconduct in the workplace,” but initial reports from Kershaw County to the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy stated he voluntarily resigned from his position, according to documents obtained by The State.

Tyrell Cato, the former director of the Kershaw County Detention Center, was investigated for workplace sexual harassment and fired on May 24, according to documents obtained by The State. A month later, a Kershaw County employee completed a routine separation form for the Criminal Justice Academy that stated Cato resigned voluntarily. That document, dated June 24, said Cato’s last day on the job was also June 24.

It was not until July 29 — after Cato had been hired to run Richland County’s Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center — that those records were updated to show Cato had been fired from his Kershaw County position for “violation of agency policy.” The new document also says his last day on the job was May 24.

A spokesperson for the criminal justice academy did not immediately respond to a request for more information Monday.

Cato assumed his new role as the head of Richland County’s troubled jail in July, according to the Post and Courier.

He was fired by Kershaw County after a female employee who worked in his office accused him of harassment, according to Kershaw County documents..

In allegations made to Kershaw’s Department of Human Resources and upheld by the Kershaw County Grievance Committee, the unnamed employee accused Cato of propositioning her for a relationship, making repeated sexual remarks and, on one occasion, using a hug as an opportunity to smell her hair.

In a handwritten statement provided to the Grievance Committee and obtained by The State, Cato characterized the employee as making passes at him.

Calls to Kershaw County’s interim administrator, Danny Templar, and Richland County administrator Leonardo Brown were not immediately returned Monday.

A secretary for Templar said he would be out of town until Wednesday.

The Post and Courier previously reported that Brown said he was not aware of Cato’s firing during the hiring process, which took place in April.

Cato spent ten years at the Kershaw County Detention Center, including three years as the jail’s director, according to his LinkedIn profile. Prior to working at the Kershaw jail, Cato was a corporal in the Camden Police Department and worked as a corrections officer. In addition to his bachelor’s degree, he holds masters in Criminal Justice and Corrections and Executive Leadership from Liberty University.

Ronaldo Myers, the longtime previous head of the Richland County detention facility, left his position in September following an inmate riot that took place while he was on unscheduled leave. A dozen inmates were charged in the riot, which injured two officers.