Former deputy pleads guilty to sexual assaults in Berkeley

A former deputy jailer in Berkeley County has pleaded guilty to multiple charges of sexual assault. Avery Richard Smith entered his plea on March 18 after accusations that he assaulted an inmate and several coworkers. Court documents reveal that Smith faced eleven charges, including four counts of first-degree assault and battery, five counts of third-degree assault and battery, and two counts of misconduct in office. The investigation began when a female inmate reported that Smith had tried to sexually assault her after moving her to a private area. More women came forward with similar allegations against Smith. They described incidents where he had groped, choked, or tried to forcibly kiss them. Smith also coerced a female detention deputy, whom he was training, into a sexual encounter. Deputy Solicitor Anne Williams stated that security footage supported many of the victims' accusations. It showed Smith approaching victims and behaving inappropriately. He was denied bond, and Judge Roger Young sentenced him to ten years in prison, with the sentences for all charges running concurrently. In connection with Smith's actions, two former superiors, Christopher Dozier III and Frankie Levar Snider, are facing charges of misconduct for failing to act on the assaults. Their cases are still pending. In addition to the criminal accusations, the Berkeley County Sheriff's Office faces a civil lawsuit from Aisha Davis, a former deputy jailer who claims she was fired in retaliation for reporting Smith's assaults. She has been charged with a separate incident involving another inmate, which she and her attorney allege is an act of retaliation related to her lawsuit.