Florence DJ pleads guilty in sex trafficking case

FLORENCE, S.C (WMBF) – The Florence DJ who was at the center of a human trafficking case has pleaded guilty.

Jason Pope, who is also known as DJ Kidd, pleaded guilty to five counts of sex trafficking a minor, five counts of criminal sexual conduct with a minor and three counts of criminal sexual conduct, totaling 13 sex-related charges.

Between July 2017 and July 2019, documents showed that Pope forced four minor girls to perform sex acts for money at a home on Lakeview Drive in Florence County. Investigators said Pope engaged in sex acts with the four minors.

RELATED COVERAGE:

The judge sentenced Pope to 30 years, suspended to 19 years in prison.

Once he gets out of prison, he’ll be on five years of sex offender probation, which will have special sex offender agents monitoring him.

If he violates his probation, he could face up to 10 more years in prison.

Along with prison and probation, Pope will be on the sex offender registry and he has permanent restraining orders that will prohibit him from having any contact with all of the identified victims in the case.

The South Carolina Attorney General’s Office said several victims presented statements in court about how Pope’s actions affected them. They said they’re relieved that this chapter is closed.

The South Carolina Attorney General’s Office prosecuted the case while the State Law Enforcement Division’s Human Trafficking Unit, Darlington County Sheriff’s Office and Florence County Sheriff’s Office all assisted in the investigation.