Former Springfield police chief charged with assault on woman in Orangeburg County

ORANGEBURG COUNTY, SC (WIS) – A man who formerly served as the City of Springfield Police Chief is facing new charges in the alleged assault of an 18-year-old woman, according to the Orangeburg County Sheriff's Office (OCSO).

LaCra Jenkins, 40, of Eutawville is accused of choking a woman in July, according to an arrest warrant. The woman told investigators she did not lose consciousness during the incident but had trouble breathing.

A report in The Times and Democrat newspaper said the incident occurred during a “heated conversation” between Jenkins and the woman, during which she allegedly punched Jenkins on the bridge of the nose.

Although Jenkins has no history of physical violence, WIS News 10 has previously reported on the former police chief's criminal past. Jenkins was fired from the Orangeburg County Sheriff's Office (OCSO) in 2015 for abuse of office.

In 2019, Jenkins pleaded guilty to conspiracy to violate federal law, conspiracy to possess a controlled substance with intent to distribute, and two counts of visa fraud after being accused of accepting bribes for U visas and having the intent to distribute drugs.

Jenkins is currently on probation in connection with the 2019 charges against him. He was released in March after serving a five-year sentence in federal prison.

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