COLUMBIA, S.C. — The former director of the Richland County jail who was fired last week is challenging his dismissal from the agency he led for just two months.
Tyrell Cato's attorney, Beth Bowen, said Friday Cato would be filing a formal grievance with the county about his termination that came down on September 9.
"The County wrongfully terminated Mr. Cato, and we look forward to the actual evidence surrounding his termination coming to light," Bowen said in a statement to News19.
Cato was hired by Richland County in July after previously serving as the Kershaw County jail director. However, records from the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy show Cato was terminated from Kershaw County on May 24, just weeks before he was took over in Richland County.
Documents obtained by News19 under the Freedom of Information Act state Cato was terminated from Kershaw County after allegations of sexual misconduct were made against him by an employee at the jail. The incidents occurred in March and April of 2022. Cato contested that dismissal in a grievance hearing but on June 30 the county's grievance committee unanimously upheld Cato's firing.
A spokesperson for the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division confirmed to News19 that on July 30, agents were asked by Kershaw County Sheriff Lee Boan on behalf of County Administrator Danny Templar to investigate allegations of misconduct by Cato.
Richland County said it fired Cato following an internal review conducted by Richland County Administrator Leonardo Brown.
Brown told News19 that back in April, Cato and the Kershaw County jail agreed to provide support to help with the day to day operations of the Richland County jail. Brown said it was a move done because of staffing shortages in Richland County.
"We were working closely with Kershaw County in a relationship providing support for Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center," Brown said. "During that time,[Cato] was actually a part of those conversations, actually signed those agreements, and so Richland County really had no reason to believe that he wasn't in good standing with Kershaw County."
Brown said he'd gotten good feedback from the community and Cato's co-workers before he was hired.
For now, an assistant director is running the day-to-day operations at the Richland jail while Brown begins the search for a new director.
The firing of Cato comes as the Richland County jail continues to face scrutiny over allegations of mistreatment of inmates.
In February, before Cato was hired, 27-year-old Lason Butler died while in custody. In August, attorneys for his family filed a federal lawsuit claiming unsanitary conditions and staff negligence led to Butler's death.
Staffing issues at the jail have been well documented. According to a Richland County Council meeting agenda last summer, there were about 141 detention officer vacancies as of June 4, 2021, a number the council noted was “higher than normal.”
To draw more job applicants, the council unanimously voted in July 2021 to recommend increasing detention officers’ starting salary. Brown said starting pay is now at $40,000.