Richland County didn’t do background check on new jail director until weeks after hiring him

Richland County did not conduct a background investigation on its new jail head until three weeks after he was hired, according to documents obtained by The State.

Tyrell Cato was named the new director of the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center in early July. A month prior, Cato was fired from his position heading Kershaw County’s jail for alleged sexual harassment in the workplace.

Documents initially filed by Kershaw County with the state Criminal Justice Academy stated Cato resigned voluntarily from his position. The records were later updated to say he was fired for violating agency policy.

Regardless, Richland County never asked for the records before hiring Cato to run the troubled jail.

Cato had been employed as Richland’s jail director for three weeks before the county requested a background check from the state Criminal Justice Academy. The academy received the request July 26, according to a document provided by the academy.

Richland County administrator Leonardo Brown did not respond to a request for comment on this article, nor has he responded to any calls made by The State regarding Cato’s hiring.

The county’s public information officer Casey White said the county’s “general policy involves not commenting on legal matters unless directed by the Attorney’s Office.”

Cato’s hiring has been enmeshed in controversy after reports surfaced that he had been fired from his previous job for allegedly making sexual advances to a female colleague. The Post and Courier first reported that news.

Cato was put on unpaid leave from his Kershaw County position May 13 and was terminated following an investigation on May 24. At a June 28 hearing, the Kershaw County Grievance Committee unanimously upheld Cato’s termination. Cato was informed of the grievance committee’s decision by Interim Kershaw County Administrator Danny Templar in a letter dated July 14, approximately two weeks after he started at the Richland County jail.

Despite the investigation and subsequent firing, a Kershaw County employee reported to the state Criminal Justice Academy that Cato had voluntarily resigned his post. It was not until July 29 that those records were updated to say Cato was actually fired. The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division is now investigating the changed records at the request of Kershaw County.

Richland’s jail has been under scrutiny for reasons beyond Cato’s hiring. Three people died at the jail this year in the span of two months. One of those deaths was ruled a homicide, and the victim’s family is now suing the jail.

In a separate lawsuit filed in federal court this April, a disability rights group alleged a pattern of mistreatment towards detainees with mental illnesses.

The State staff reporter Ted Clifford contributed to this report.